Ostriches are large, flightless birds that are native to Africa. They are the largest living species of bird and can grow up to 9 feet tall. Ostriches are found in a variety of habitats across Africa including savannas, grasslands, semi-deserts and deserts. Understanding where ostriches live provides insights into their behavior, evolution and conservation.
Natural Range and Distribution
Ostriches are only found naturally in Africa. There are historically two different species of ostriches – the North African ostrich and the Southern ostrich. The Southern ostrich (Struthio camelus) has a much larger range and is found in Sub-Saharan Africa. Its range stretches from South Africa to Ethiopia and Nigeria. The North African ostrich (Struthio camelus camelus) has a smaller range, found only in the Sahel region of North Africa. The Southern ostrich has also been introduced to some areas outside of Africa like Australia and Israel.
Within Africa, ostriches have a patchy distribution. They are found in around 20 different countries but are absent from dense rainforest areas of Central and West Africa. Some of the countries with large ostrich populations include South Africa, Kenya, Chad, Niger, Mali, and Ethiopia.
Ostriches thrive in savanna, grassland and semi-desert regions. They prefer areas with scattered vegetation that provides them cover and open spaces where they can graze. Some of the main biomes and ecoregions where ostriches are found include:
- East African Acacia savannas – Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia
- West African savanna – Chad, Cameroon, Nigeria
- Kalahari desert – Botswana, Namibia, South Africa
- Namib desert – Namibia
- Karoo – South Africa
- Sahel – Chad, Niger, Mali
- Horn of Africa – Ethiopia, Somalia
Within these regions, ostriches may locally migrate based on the availability of food and water resources. However, they do not undertake long distance migrations spanning continental scales.
Habitat Preferences
Ostriches are well adapted to living in hot, arid environments. However, they can inhabit a variety of habitats with certain preferred features:
- Open grasslands with scattered trees or shrubs – Trees and bushes provide shade and protection for nesting. Grasses and shrubs provide food.
- Savanna mosaics – Ostriches utilize the different savanna habitats like grasslands, shrublands and open woodlands.
- Plains and low hills – They avoid mountainous areas but may inhabit plateaus, plains, basins and low foothills.
- Sandy or gravelly soil – Needed for nest scraping.
- 10-20 inches of rainfall per year – Enough rainfall to support vegetation growth.
Within these areas, ostriches spend much of their time walking in search of food and water. They may travel over a home range of 5 to 50 square miles. At night they often congregate near a water source where they are safer from predators.
Countries with Large Ostrich Populations
Some countries known to have substantial ostrich populations within their protected savanna, grassland and desert habitats include:
Country | Estimated Population | Key Habitats and Protected Areas |
---|---|---|
South Africa | 650,000 | Karoo, Kalahari Desert, Kruger National Park |
Kenya | 97,000 | Masai Mara, Tsavo East and West National Parks |
Chad | 95,000 | Sahelian Grasslands, Zakouma National Park |
Niger | 49,000 | Sahelian Grasslands, Termit Massif Reserve |
Mali | 40,000 | Sahelian Grasslands |
Ethiopia | 23,000 | East African Savanna, Awash National Park |
Many ostrich populations declined in the 20th century due to hunting and habitat loss. However, improved legal protection and management on preserves and ranches have allowed some populations to rebound, particularly in Southern Africa.
Declines and Conservation Threats
Both species of ostrich declined over the past 200 years, but the North African ostrich was especially impacted. Hunting and capture of ostriches for feathers led to severe declines. By the mid-20th century, the North African ostrich was believed extinct in the wild. However, a small reintroduced population currently exists in Tunisia.
The Southern ostrich has fared comparatively better, but still faced declines from hunting and habitat conversion for agriculture. By the 1970s, ostriches only occupied about 1/3 of their historical range. However, conservation measures like banning ostrich hunting, establishing protected areas, and farming ostriches have stabilized or increased some populations.
Current threats facing wild ostriches include:
- Habitat loss to farming and grazing pressure
- Competition with livestock
- Poaching for meat, feathers and leather
- Predation of eggs and chicks
- Collision with fences
- Disease outbreaks
- Climate change and droughts
Ongoing conservation practices focus on habitat protection, limiting illegal hunting, managing ostrich-livestock competition, researching diseases, and increasing anti-poaching patrols around protected areas where ostriches live.
Summary and Conclusions
In summary, ostriches are large flightless birds native to Africa, where they inhabit savanna, grassland, semi-desert and desert environments. The Southern ostrich has a broad sub-Saharan range while the Northern ostrich historically lived in the Sahel zone of North Africa. Key countries with substantial ostrich populations include South Africa, Kenya, Chad, Niger, Mali and Ethiopia. Both species declined due to hunting and habitat loss but ostrich farming and protected areas have aided some recovery. Ongoing threats include poaching, habitat degradation, and competition with livestock. Research and monitoring help guide conservation actions to protect remaining ostrich populations across Africa.