Page 96 - The World of Animals

OSTRICHES

(SO BIG THAT THEY

CAN'T FLY!)

Ostriches are the biggest birds in the world. They are taller than

us. An ostrich is approximately two and a half metres (98 inches) tall
and weighs 120 kilograms (264 pounds).

94 These birds, which live in colonies in Central Africa, can't fly.
Instead, Allah has given them a different ability so that they can

escape from their predators: They run very fast with their long legs.
They run so fast that no man can keep up with them. Ostriches are the
fastest two-legged animals in the animal kingdom and they reach

speeds of 70 kilometres (43 miles) per hour. And now let us tell you

something very interesting. Do you know that ostriches have only two
toes on their feet? What is more, one of these toes is considerably
bigger than the other. And ostriches run only on their big toes.

Besides that, thanks to their long legs enabling them to run fast,

ostriches are very good warriors. To protect themselves against their
enemies, they kick their predators.
The egg of the biggest bird in the world is also the biggest bird

egg in the world. They dig a very deep hole in the sand and place all