South Africa.
Western Cape
Oudtshoorn
Safari Ostrich Farm
This is sort of a mandatory spectacle if you visit the farm. You can also ride an ostrich yourself. We politely declined being disgusted by the practice.
www.safariostrich.co.za/about-ostriches/
The process of actually riding an ostrich involves the animal being herded into a small pen, and a bag thrown over its head as an attempt to calm it. The tourist is then assisted onto its back, and instructed to hang on to the wingpits of the ostrich and use its neck to steer. As soon as the ostrich is released from the pen and the bag is removed from its head, it will run around the enclosure, dragging the keepers behind it, and when the tourists inevitably fall off hopefully they will be caught by the keepers.
While there are some measures that have been taken by the ostrich farms to help ensure the health of the animals which are being ridden (such as a 70kg weight limit, and a rule where ostriches cannot be ridden if the air temperature is above 30°C); there are still some risks to the animals – for example, having their feathers accidentally pulled out or injuries resulting from muscle strain. As the ABTA Animal Welfare Guidelines state, “The ostrich skeleton is not designed to support a jockey’s weight on its back and this practice is likely to harm the physiology of the animals and have negative welfare implications.” As ostriches can weigh up to 150kg, they are forced to carry half their bodyweight on their back and however brief the ride may be, this still could have the potential to severely injure the bird.
Ostrich riding also poses many risks for the tourists who come to try this activity – as you can see in the many YouTube videos featuring ostrich rides, there are no safety features in place for the rider apart from several keepers holding onto the ostrich to try and prevent it from running too fast. Falling off the ostrich or being pulled off is the only way to dismount, and could potentially result in a head injury if the keepers weren’t able to catch you as none of the farms offer you helmets to wear. It would be easy for a panicking ostrich to accidentally trample someone, and there are several case studies in scientific literature of incidents where people have been attacked by ostriches which resulted in severe eye trauma. As ostrich riding is considered a risky activity, it may not be covered under personal accident or personal liability insurance; some insurance firms would only include cover if appropriate safety equipment was used, which you could argue doesn’t apply to most ostrich farms.
- See more at: right-tourism.com/2014/09/ride-ostrich/#sthash.xP9mo2YA.dpuf
Tags: Linda De Volder Africa Travel 2015 geotagged geomapped Southern Africa South Africa Western Cape picmonkey ostrich Safari ostrich farm Oudtshoorn Struthionidae Struthio camelus Struthioniformes African safari
© All Rights Reserved
South Africa.
Western Cape
Oudtshoorn
Safari Ostrich Farm
A plastic beak ring helps to keep the ostriches from pecking each other's feathers.
These devices make it difficult for the bird to completely close its beak and grasp the feathers of another individual.
www.safariostrich.co.za/about-ostriches/
Tags: Linda De Volder Africa Travel 2015 geotagged geomapped Southern Africa South Africa Western Cape picmonkey ostrich Safari ostrich farm Oudtshoorn Struthionidae Struthio camelus Struthioniformes African safari
© All Rights Reserved
South Africa.
Western Cape
Oudtshoorn
Safari Ostrich Farm
A plastic beak ring helps to keep the ostriches from pecking each other's feathers.
These devices make it difficult for the bird to completely close its beak and grasp the feathers of another individual.
www.safariostrich.co.za/about-ostriches/
Tags: Linda De Volder Africa Travel 2015 geotagged geomapped Southern Africa South Africa Western Cape picmonkey ostrich Safari ostrich farm Oudtshoorn Struthionidae Struthio camelus Struthioniformes African safari
© All Rights Reserved
South Africa.
Western Cape
Oudtshoorn
Safari Ostrich Farm
A plastic beak ring helps to keep the ostriches from pecking each other's feathers.
These devices make it difficult for the bird to completely close its beak and grasp the feathers of another individual.
www.safariostrich.co.za/about-ostriches/
Tags: Linda De Volder Africa Travel 2015 geotagged geomapped Southern Africa South Africa Western Cape picmonkey ostrich Safari ostrich farm Oudtshoorn Struthionidae Struthio camelus Struthioniformes African safari
© All Rights Reserved
South Africa.
Western Cape
Oudtshoorn
Safari Ostrich Farm
A plastic beak ring helps to keep the ostriches from pecking each other's feathers.
These devices make it difficult for the bird to completely close its beak and grasp the feathers of another individual.
www.safariostrich.co.za/about-ostriches/
Tags: Linda De Volder Africa Travel 2015 geotagged geomapped Southern Africa South Africa Western Cape picmonkey ostrich Safari ostrich farm Oudtshoorn Struthionidae Struthio camelus Struthioniformes African safari
© All Rights Reserved