Ostrich

Ostrich is the largest living bird (Struthio camelus), native to the savannas and semi-arid plains of Africa, farmed commercially for its meat, feathers and hide. Commercial ostrich farming began in southern Africa in the nineteenth century, centered on the Oudtshoorn region of South Africa, initially to supply the fashion trade in ostrich feathers before diversifying into leather and low-fat red meat production. The bird's hide is valued in the leather industry for its distinctive quill-follicle pattern, while its meat is marketed as a lean alternative to beef. Ostrich farming spread from South Africa to other parts of the world, including the Americas, Europe, Australia and the Middle East, over the course of the twentieth century, though South Africa remains the industry's largest and most established center.