Ostriches (Scientific Name: Struthio camelus) can be categorized as a vertebrate. They are world’s largest bird originated from Africa Continent. The fully grown ostriches shall be about 2 – 2.5 meter tall and weight 160 kilogram. They can be up to 65 – 75 years old. Ostriches has small head, long neck, large eyes, long lash and big strong legs. They cannot fly but they can run fast. Baby ostriches start to be able to run when they are only 2-3 days old. They shall look for food in wide field in large group. They live with zebras and giraffes. This kind of animal defenses themselves by jump-kicking. They are very vigilant, so they can escape the carnivore. Ostrich’s eggs are world’s largest eggs. Ostriches eat plant, seed, ripe fruit, and small animals by biting and tilting down the throat, then straighten their neck, so that the foods go down their oesophagus. Apart from that, ostriches like to eat odd matters, especially reflecting things, such as watch, plastic bottle. ;;; Male ostriches are bigger than the female. When the male ostriches are fully grown up, the body feathers shall turn into black color, while the feathers at wings and tails shall be white. For female ostriched, the body feathers shall be light greyish brown. Their beaks are flat and wide. Ostriches have round eyes, small bald head. The feathers are thin with light brown and grey similar to cream or Solanum ferox. They have long neck and soft feathers just like the head. The wings are small and feathers at the wings are slightly long but they are not feathers for flying. The wing features are for beauty only. Legs and thighs are smooth without any feathers. The male ostriches have flabbier neck than the female, so they can imitate lion’s sound. One male ostrich can control many female ostriches. ;;; For ostrich’s feet, there are 2 toes on each side. Under the toes is soft flesh. The tip of the toes are large and blunt. The two toes are middle and ring toe only. The larger toe is the middle toe. Naturally, animals that do not have to run at high speed shall have 5 fingers for one hand and 5 toes for one foot. If the animals need to run at high speed to escape from their enemy, the natural evolution shall get rid of the toe one by one until there is only one toe left, just like horse’ feet that has only one finger called hoof. ;;; Nowadays ostriches are raised as economic animals in Thailand, just like other countries. The ostrich was first imported to Thailand in late Ayutthaya period in the reign of King Ekatat. According to the historical record, people in the capital city said that English Ambassador brought ostrich with lion and foreign horse from African as the tribute to the King, so the King at that time raise the animals in the palace.

 

 

Giraffes (Scientific Name: Giraffa camelopardalis) are mammals in Giraffidae family. They are a ruminant. The outstanding features are their height, long legs, long neck and a pair of ossicones. Their bodies are yellow with dark brown patterns. The origin of giraffe is Africa continent. The male giraffes can be up to 4.8 to 5.5 meter tall (16-18 feet) and it weight up to 900 kilograms (2,000 pounds). The female giraffes are slightly smaller and shorter. They are the tallest terrestrial animal. ;;; Both male and female giraffes have ossicones. Their fur does not shed and the ossicones are also covered by fur. They live together as a group of 15-20 or more, called tower, in the open field with other herbivore such as antelopes, zebras or ostriches. They shall enter the reproductive age at the age of 3 and a half year. The gestation period is 420-461 days. Giraffe’s calves wean at 10 months old. They can stand and walk shortly after birth just like other even-toed ungulates in general and they can run within 2-3 days. The female giraffes have 4 breasts. Giraffes shall be in heat every 14 days and the heat will last 24 hours per time. Average life span of giraffe is 20-30 years.  

 

 

 

They are similar to horses in general. Their bodies have distinct black and white stripe pattern. They have black nose, short manes, large ears and eyes, small round hoofed feet, long bunchy hair tail at the tip of the tail. They can be generally found in clear flatland in the south of Sahara Desert in Africa, eating grass and seeds. ;;; Zebras usually live in clear grassy flatland as a group called seal. Zeal of zebras can consist of hundreds or thousands of them. They shall nibble grass together with other animals in the large field, such as ostriches, giraffes, antelopes and other hoof-feet animals. Zebras usually have bug-eating birds on their back in order to watch out for danger and to eat the annoying bugs. The ostriches and giraffes are also the danger alarm for them because zebras have bad eyesight but their nose and ears are very sharps. They also have sharp teeth. Zebras enter their reproductive age at 2 years old and the gestation period is about 345-390 days. They give birth to 1 baby at a time. The new born zebra calves are fluffy and have brown and white stripe pattern. Their lifespan is about 25-30 years.