TWO ostrich chicks have been born at Knowsley Safari Park thanks to the summer's soaring temperatures.
Ostriches lay their eggs in a shallow nest on the ground called a scrape which provides little protection again the usual British summer weather.
The nests are often water-logged, abandoned by the parents and the eggs that are left become very cold and don't hatch. But this year the warm weather has provided ideal hatching conditions for the chicks.
The safari park's general manager, David Ross, said: "This year'shot weather has done us a real favour in terms of the ostriches by providing hatching conditions that we simply don't get in an average summer. The birth of these chicks is a first for the park. We're delighted that they're doing so well and it now seems likelythat other eggs in nests around the park will also hatch over the next few weeks."
* For opening times, admission prices and directions to the safari park log onto www.knowsley.com/safari
