| North African ostrich[1] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Male | |||
 | |||
| Female Both photographed atYotvata Hai-Bar Nature Reserve,Israel | |||
Scientific classification | |||
| Kingdom: | Animalia | ||
| Phylum: | Chordata | ||
| Class: | Aves | ||
| Infraclass: | Palaeognathae | ||
| Order: | Struthioniformes | ||
| Family: | Struthionidae | ||
| Genus: | Struthio | ||
| Species: | |||
| Subspecies: | S. c. camelus | ||
| Trinomial name | |||
| Struthio camelus camelus | |||
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Struthio camelus distribution map
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TheNorth African ostrich,[1]red-necked ostrich, orBarbary ostrich (Struthio camelus camelus) is the nominatesubspecies of thecommon ostrich fromWest andNorth Africa. It has the largest average size among the subspecies of ostriches, making it thelargest living bird.
In the 1990s,mtDNA analyses control regionhaplotypes revealed that theArabian ostrich from Western Asia is closely related to the North African ostrich.[2]
In 2017, theBirbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany discovered that common ostriches used to live inIndia about 25,000 years ago. DNA research on eleven fossilised eggshells from eight archaeological sites in the states ofRajasthan,Gujarat andMadhya Pradesh found 92% genetic similarity between the eggshells and the North African ostrich.[3][4]
The North African ostrich is the largest subspecies ofS. camelus, at 2.74 m (9 ft 0 in) in height and up to 154 kg (340 lb) in weight. The neck is pinkish-red, the plumage of males is black and white, and the plumage of females is gray.[5]
The North African ostrich was widespread from western to northeastern Africa. It used to range fromEthiopia andSudan in the east throughout theSahel toSenegal andMauritania in the west, and north toEgypt and southernMorocco. It has now disappeared from large parts of this range and it only remains in 6 of the 18 countries where it originally occurred.[6] This subspecies may also have occurred in theSinai Peninsula, whereArabian ostriches once lived. North African ostriches can be found in open fields and thesavannahs, especially in the Sahel of Africa.[7]
The North African ostrich had dramatically declined to the point where it is now included onCITES Appendix I and some treat it asCritically Endangered.[6] The North African ostrich is part of a project by theSahara Conservation Fund (SCF) with the aim of saving the subspecies from extinction and restore its populations in its former ranges in theSahara and theSahel.[6]
The North African ostrich was the most widespread subspecies of ostrich. It formerly had an extensive range but is now thought to live in fragmented pockets inCameroon,Chad,Central African Republic and Senegal, whilst extinct in most of its range in northern Africa. Reintroduction projects for the ostriches have begun, especially in northernSahara, where North African ostriches had been extinct for 50 years. Ostriches were imported from Chad and reintroduced toSouss-Massa National Park in Morocco.[8]
InTunisia, North African ostriches were once common in the southern region of the country. The subspecies had been extirpated since 1887. In 2014, North African ostriches were finally returned to Tunisia after 127 years of being extinct. The birds were first reintroduced toDghoumès National Park. They were then reintroduced toSidi Toui National Park, and then toOrbata Faunal Reserve.[9][10]
It is planned that the red-necked ostrich will also recover in other countries from western to northeastern Africa, such asNiger andNigeria.[11]
The North African ostrich is the closest relative to the extinctArabian ostrich from Western Asia. Following analyses ofmtDNA control regionhaplotypes that confirmed the close relationship of the Arabian and the North African subspecies, the North African subspecies was considered suitable for introduction into areas where the Arabian subspecies used to live.[2]
In 1988–89, the ostriches, originally taken fromSudan, were introduced to National Wildlife Research Center inSaudi Arabia. Areintroduction project using the North African ostriches was set up atMahazat as-Sayd Protected Area in 1994. Currently, it is estimated that 90 to 100 individuals are living within the reserve. It was proposed that the North African ostriches should also be reintroduced to Al-Khunfah Protected Area.[12]
It also has been reintroduced in theYotvata Hai-Bar Nature Reserve inIsrael as well and some will eventually be released in open fields of theNegev desert.[13] However, the reintroduction failed, as the reintroduced ostriches vanished. It is thought that the vanished species may have left Israel for Egypt. The reintroduction project for the ostriches was on hiatus, but the authority might try again in the future. It is hoped thatJordan and Egypt would collaborate with Israel to ensure that the ostriches can live in a broader range.[14]
North African ostriches in captivity are mostly breeding populations in European and Middle Eastern zoos, such asHanover,Hamburg, andPaignton Zoo.
