Over the past number of years, female ostrich “Zed” has lived alone due to both physical limitations (stemming from a wing amputation) and social incompatibility with the other ostrich.

Having only one wing means her temperature tolerance is lower than the other ostrich, requiring a habitat with indoor access for when the weather gets cold. With limited outdoor habitat space to choose from that would fit both her social and physical needs, a new plan was developed.

Your Guardians at the Zoo introduced her to the mixed-species Savanna habitat, which is home to kudu, marabou storks, southern ground hornbills, and a white-headed vulture.

First, she was introduced to the space solo, then to the kudu, storks, and hornbills, and last to the party was the vulture. Eventually, everyone was living together!

We could not have anticipated how positive this new arrangement would be for Zednick or how much personality she would start to show. At the beginning, her Guardians would often have to go out on habitat to call her in for the night before she would start making her way over.

Once she got the hang of the routine, she started waiting at the gate for her team at the end of the day. She was patient when the young hornbill would try to play with her, happy to share the alfalfa with the kudu, and seemed to enjoy chasing visiting wild geese out of the habitat. It wasn’t long before she became a Guardian and guest favourite.