The initiative of hatching Ostrich eggs with the objective of promoting population of the world’s largest bird in the region could not succeed and Wildlife Department is planning another attempt in current years breeding season.
Wildlife Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had arranged a new incubator in D.I.Khan for hatching of Ostrich eggs. “We had arranged a new incubator for hatching of eggs of ostrich with the plan of keeping the grown up chicks at different wildlife parks of the province,” said Khan Malook, Divisional Wildlife Officer (DFO) D.I.Khan Division.
Talking with APP, Khan Malook said he has a pair of ostrich at Wildlife Park of D.I.Khan which laid eggs and we decided to improve population of the bird by hatching through incubator. Ten eggs were kept in the incubator but the attempt of artificial brooding could not succeed as all the eggs were found infertile. Khan Malook informed that in D.I.Khan electricity disruption is much high and therefore he decided to keep incubator in his office where arrangements have been made for a five KV solar system.
We are also investigating reasons causing failure in hatching and would
try to make next attempt with improved measures to get desired results, he added. This year after the breeding season which starts in March to April another attempt would be made by collecting eggs, he went on to say. In response to a question about natural breeding of bird, he said according to experience Ostrich did not sit on eggs during captivity.—APP
