Ostrich hunting in South Africa

The world’s largest flightless bird weighing up to 300 (135kg) pounds, native to Africa but introduced to many places around the world during the height of the Ostrich farming craze for their feathers and meat. They have long necks and legs and are able to run at speeds of about 45mph. The males are black, with white primaries and tail feathers as opposed to the grey coloured females. The Ostrich is widely spread over South Africa, especially the wooded grassland of the Bushveld and they thrive in semi-arid and desert conditions. They can be hunted in any of the provinces in South Africa with the best choice Ostrich habitat being the Karoo (Eastern and Western Cape) and the Kalahari Desert of the Northern Cape. These birds have tremendous eyesight and can be difficult to bring down. In some instances hunters have been attacked by Ostriches protecting their territories of chicks. They have an extremely powerful kick and two toes equipped with a huge damage causing nails. Besides making a magnificent trophy, they are also hunted for their exotic leather and their meat is fantastic. Classified as a species of least concern by the IUCN, no special permits are required to hunt an Ostrich.