Riding Big Bird
Post on: 2011-09-05 By: admin
THE Mat Rempit menace reared its ugly head at the Jelita Ostrich Show Farm in Pantai Road on the way to Jelebu in Negri Sembilan.
They showed off their precarious skills, riding head down on ostriches instead of motorcycles, at a first-of-its-kind race in Malaysia.These "Mat Rempits"are actually ostrich jockeys, and were the main attraction this year at the show farm, pitting their racing skills as they rode for astonished visitors from Puchong, Selangor, which included 80 teenagers and eight adults.
Petite 19-year-old Tan Pei Yi, who is a college corporate communications student at UTAR, commented: "I like ostriches because they giveme a sense of power as I ride them because they are the largest living species of birds (like the character of Big Bird in Sesame Street) andlay the largest eggs.
"I personally think the ostrich isa beautiful bird, with its long legs andability to run very fast. Ridingit is an empowering experience," she said. "I also enjoyed standing onostrich eggs! So, too, sitting on an adult ostrich.
The ostrich can grow to a maximumheight of3m, and can weigh as much as 180kg."Visitors learn about about the full life cycle of the ostrich, and the do's and don'ts for people when they come in contact with these huge birds," added Pei Yi.During the school holidays, visitors to the farm are mainly children aged 3 to 16, along with their parents or teachers.
For a decade the farm has been hometo over 80 ostriches.It is the largest show farm inSoutheast-Asia, earning a 1999 listing in the Malaysian Book of Records. The farm is owned by former banker and current bio-tech researcher S.S. Abraham from Kuala Lumpur.Among the ostrich by-products sold on the farm are the farm's own brand of cosmetics which include ostrich oil hair and skincare products which have been approved by the Ministry of Health.The farm has also received halal certification. Other products sold are leather goods such as bags, purses and shoes, ostrich meat, and bottled essence of ostrich oil with ginseng and cordyceps.Ostrich oil has virtually no cholesterol, and can be usedto make ice-cream and chocolates.It is also believed that ostrich oil can slow the ageing process and aid in pain relief.Additionally, the oil contains high levels of oleic and linoleic acids, and ostrich oil is rich in essential fatty acids, including Omega 3, 6 and 9.Currently, the farm known as Jelita Impian, is conducting joint research with the Institute of Medical Research to develop a new range of pharmaceutical products.The ostrich, known scientifically as Struthio camelus, originated from Africa.It has a life span of 70 to 80 years, and the female can lay from 40 to 80 eggs per year for up to 40 years.The maturity rate differs between the male and female birds."The male matures at 25 to 30 months, while the female takes between 20 to 24 months," saidAbraham.Furthermore, an ostrich chick can growquickly -- at 7cm per week for the first six months.It can take just 14 months before reaching its full height.On the show farm, the ostriches vary in age from three months to 20.Among the attractions at Jelita Impian are ostrich racing and ostrich riding.The farm also features what it terms"the ostrich chariot ride", which is also the first-of-its-kind in the world.To learn more about this farm, call 06-767 0707/763 2214.
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Article original from: http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles//stostrich2/Article/
