Ostriches, the largest birds on the planet ... Follow @TheSAnews on X and The South African on Facebook for the latest news.

The North African ostrich is critically endangered. Once widespread in the Saharan region, its population has declined due to habitat loss and overhunting ...

But Dr Braun said it was the humble chicken that was the "model species" for studying some extreme examples of avian evolution - including how giant, flightless birds like the ostrich evolved.