We at Safari Ostrich Farm, Oudtshoorn, recognise the critical role that we play in providing safe tourism and dining experiences. We pledge to uphold and adhere to the Tourism and Hospitality Industry Standard Protocols for Covid – 19 Operations during the Covid – 19 pandemic. We care about your health whilst you have a…
We have been getting the odd question like, are we closed to the public? How do we look after our ostriches during the lock down? The answer to the first question is yes we are closed to the public. We will only be open to the public once we reach level one of the south…
We have revamped and upgraded our Education Centre in the last few months and added wonderful new interactive displays, in doing so it has developed into a wonderful spacious Centre. We have constructed an “’Ostrich Product Shed” as part of this exciting endeavour. The new shed where we educate our visitors about the ostrich…
Ostrich leather was first tanned in 1970 and exploded onto the haute-couture scene in Europe. The leather was fully pigmented, somewhat hard to the touch, and available in a very limited array of colours initially. Today no such limits apply. Colours are almost infinite, and the finishing much more varied and sophisticated. There are more…
Commercial ostrich farming started in South Africa in 1864 – The Oudtshoorn region is considered the ostrich capitol of the world since ostrich farming, as a big commercial enterprise, originated here. Our semi-desert climate is ideal for ostrich farming since they are desert birds and can’t stand cold wet climates. The biggest ostrich abattoir…
The breeding season started in July and we have been going to the nests of our breeding birds every second day for the last two months to collect the eggs for our incubators. The female ostrich lays one egg every second day and we then go and fetch the eggs from them. As farmers…
The Ostrich (Struthio Camelus) is the largest living bird in the world and belongs to the small order of birds known as Ratitae, or running birds. Ostriches are true dinosaurs – fossils and ostrich skeletons have been discovered, dating back to over 120 million years ago. Other Ratites include the Cassowary and Emu from…
Ostrich leather is recognised through its unique texture and tactility. Ostrich leather is categorized into two types of leather, namely body skin and leg skin. The ostrich body leather is made up of quilled and smooth areas, quaintly known as the “valley and hill” grain pattern. The distinct quills are formed as the…
The South African Ostrich industry is a world leader in the farming, processing and manufacturing of ostrich related goods. The Oudtshoorn region (in the Western Cape) is considered the ostrich capitol of the world because ostrich farming as a commercial industry, started here over 150 years ago. The local ostrich industry is therefore…
Ostriches actually have two stomachs – the first one called a Gizzard is to grind the food and the second one to digest. Ostriches have no teeth and hence one does not have to worry that when they peck at you that you will get hurt; and because they don’t have teeth they will deliberately…