Asian Ostrich

I don't have very much to say about today's animal, as there isn't a whole lot known about it. The frustrations of extinct species, right?

Modern Ostrich

I picked the Asian Ostrich today because I read this really interesting article on Chinese Phoenixes. They have been depicted in art for thousands and thousands of years, but where they really an Ostrich?

Giant Ostriches lived up until the end of the last Ice Age, around 10,000 years ago. Phoenix Imagery has been appearing for 7,000 years, so was the Giant Ostrich, which roamed about China, the source of this myth?

Makes you wonder what other now extinct creatures inspired the animals of legend!

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IUCN Status : Extinct for around 10,000 years
Location : Asia

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Struthioniformes
Family : Struthionidae -- Genus : Struthio -- Species : S. asiaticus