NTT tries ostrich breeding

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara (JP): East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) is experimenting with breeding 75 ostriches imported from South Africa at a cost of Rp 80 million (US$34,000) each.

The birds, up to 2.4 meters tall and weighing 135 pounds, arrived at the El Tari airport after a 12-hour air journey on April 17.

Imported by PT Royal Ostrong, three of the birds died shortly after their arrival, possibly because of exhaustion, company officials said.

East Nusa Tenggara's governor Herman Musakabe said that the ostriches are intended to enrich the local fauna population.

East Nusa Tenggara was chosen as the experimentation site because its climate and environment are similar to those in Africa.

The ostriches are currently confined in quarantine close to a lake at Noelbaki village, 20-kilometers east of Kupang. They will be there for 60 days before being taken to Lili Camplong husbandry complex.

Ostriches (Struthio camelus) are cursorial flightless birds inhabiting the sandy plains of Africa and formerly Arabia. They are capable of running at 40 miles (64.4 kilometer) an hour.

East Nusa Tenggara plans to import 100 more ostriches if the first batch breeds successfully.

The birds will be distributed to local farmers who will cooperate with the company. (yac/31)