I see you James Souchon…. And I raise you 20!
That is correct. Our ostrich family is now up to 23 chicks. My excitement went through the roof when Tracker Ray Mabelane and I saw 4 adult ostriches and the glimpse of a chick. At first we both assumed it was one of the three chicks from the nest discovered on Londolozi a month ago. However, as we got closer it became clear that there were way more than three.
Quite frankly it has to be one of the most amazing and – dare I say it – cutest things I’ve seen.
The chicks were fairly skittish around the vehicle and weaving their way through their mothers’ and fathers’ legs, perfectly camouflaged in the foliage of the dry grasses. It took us numerous counts to try get the accurate number but finally everyone on the vehicle agreed on a total of 23 chicks.
They have been seen since, still numbering 23. They can be described to be roughly the size of a chicken – yet next to the adults they were absolutely miniature. It is incredible to think that they will grow to almost full size within period of a year.
We know that there are two mothers between the 23 chicks. Records of 43 eggs in one nest have been seen in parts of South Africa and in the discovery of the previous three chicks, James Tyrrell talked about the hope that the fourth egg would hatch too, as there is sometimes a lag of a couple of days between the first and last eggs hatching.
Now, I can only assume the following: since viewing them several times I have noticed a split every now and again into a group of four (so maybe the other egg did hatch) and nineteen when slightly separated in the different parent pairs. This could mean that one mother is host to nineteen chicks and the other, four, making up the 23.
Studies in Kenya have predicted that survival rate of chicks is between 9%-12% of the hatchlings. However, they are extremely delicate and susceptible to sudden changes in temperature, wet and cold. Let’s hope that the four adults can do a good job in protecting their young.
Recently, after being asked this interesting question by a guest, I discovered that ostriches can live anywhere up to 45 years. Does this mean 40 years of an ostrich family on Londolozi? That thought excites me, what about you?
Good stuff…thanks,
Thanks Jim
Dean, We’ve been waiting to hear the news and WOW! How special to go from that one lonely ostrich a few years ago to this big family! How long does it take for them to be full grown?
Incredible discoveries! The one year growth spurt is amazing!
What an amazing total of babies!!!! Really great……… Am wondering whether the parents share keeping them warm, meaning if the 4-babies mum will take on some of the 19-babies mum……. But I am sure you will monitor this closely, so looking forward to the next blogs on these lovely babies!
Absolutely wonderful news,and pics Dean! I’m cheering for a success rate much higher than the average purported by the Kenyan authorities for chicks to grow into adulthood. I know you’ll be following these little ones…….
That’s so exciting! I was surprised the two families would intermingle, but I guess four adults standing guard is better than two. Is it assumed one of the mother’s is the “original” ostrich and the other is one of her daughters, or do you think they’re unrelated?
So great to see all the babies. Hope they all make it. Are the males the ones with the dark feathers.
How exciting!! I am always surprised that the ostriches can survive the predators. The babies are adorable and maybe in January we will get a glimpse of them. They seem to always somewhere else when we are there. Probably why the survive!! Victoria
Dean – what a great find, 23 chicks!
Lets hope they beat the odds and a lot of them make it!
Fabulous news and will be exciting to watch them grow. So cute!
HI Dean! How exciting! Which of the mothers is the famous female who inhabited Londolozi for so many years by herself and if she is one of them, how do you distinguish her?
Shared a sundowner with Londolozi’s lone female ostrich my first visit to Londolozi in 2016 and followed her story and the underdog story of Londolozi’s ostriches ever since. Perhaps when I make my third visit to Londo next year the ostriches will have taken over the top spot from the impala as the most frequently sighted species.
awesome, thanks for sharing
We’re kind of late to seeing this but what a fabulous event!!! Fingers crossed that weather conditions, predator conditions and the struggles of life allow most all to survive and enter adulthood!!!
This is amazing. I do hope all if the chicks survive. I have just returned from Botswana where ostriches are a common occurence and they are even next to the national roads.