The African ostrich (Struthio camelus) is a species of bird in the ostrich family and is the largest living bird on earth after the closely related Somali ostrich. While it is now only native to sub-Saharan Africa, it was also native to western Asia in earlier times. The ostrich has always been of interest to humans for its feathers, flesh and leather, leading to the bird's extinction in many regions.

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Der Afrikanische Strauß (Struthio camelus) ist eine Vogelart aus der Familie der Strauße und ist nach dem eng verwandten Somalistrauß der größte lebende Vogel der Erde. Während er heute nur noch in Afrika südlich der Sahara heimisch ist, war er in früheren Zeiten auch in Westasien beheimatet. Für den Menschen war der Strauß wegen seiner Federn, seines Fleisches und seines Leders seit jeher von Interesse, was in vielen Regionen zur Ausrottung des Vogels führte.

ELEPHANTS // "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime." — Mark Twain 

Elephants think humans are cute the way humans think puppies are cute (the same part of the brain lights up when they see us). And it’s so incredibly true. Spending an entire day with elephants in Oudtshoorn, South Africa was easily one of the best days of my life.