Six fluffy ostrich chicks are the newest arrivals to Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Zoo in northwest Turkey, and will soon be ready for visits from zoo guests.
The zoo has been home to one male and six female ostriches, which laid eggs this summer. Six healthy chicks were born in mid-August after 42 days of incubation.
The chicks are currently being kept separate from their parents and fed a special diet. Their sex will be determined after six months, at which time they nearly reach full-grown height.
Visitors to Bursa Zoo will be able to see the chicks in the coming days.
The common ostrich is the largest living bird species and is flightless. They can grow up to 2.7 meters (9 feet) tall and reach a weight of 145 kilograms (320 pounds).
Likewise, ostrich chicks are the largest of any bird offspring, emerging as large as chickens from eggs weighing up to 1.3 kg. Both males and females look after the chicks in the wild. Ostriches reach maturity around 3 years of age and can live up to 75 years.
Today, ostriches are only native to the African continent, after being hunted to extinction in western Asia and Arabia.
