Morocco was once home to the North African ostrich, a giant bird that shaped the country's ecosystems while playing a key role in its trade and diplomacy, from royal gifts to Queen Victoria to a thriving feather business linking the Sahara to Europe. DR ‹ › Morocco was once home to the largest living bird. The North African ostrich (Struthio camelus camelus), known for its red neck and towering size, roamed the country's southern regions, where it formed part of its desert and pre-Saharan landscapes. Standing up to 2.7 meters tall and weighing over 150 kilograms, it is distinguished by its pinkish-red neck and legs, with males displaying black-and-white plumage and females grey. Before its disappearance, however, the ostrich played a central role in Morocco's history, economy, and diplomacy. Its feathers, eggs, and exotic nature attracted traders and royal courts alike, making it both a natural resource and a symbol of prestige. Ostriches in early Moroccan diplomacy In the 19th century, ostriches were not only part of Morocco's fauna but also featured in diplomatic exchanges. One of the most striking examples dates back to 1850, when Moulay Abderrahmane sent a remarkable gift to Queen Victoria in gratitude for medical treatment he had received in Gibraltar through the British government. The gift included a lion, a panther, nine horses, six gazelles, and notably, four ostriches, animals that once roamed southern Morocco. The birds captured particular attention. Queen Victoria recorded in her journal on April 9 that she visited the Zoological Gardens in Regent's Park to see them, describing them as «beautiful and immense». Ostriches also appeared in earlier diplomatic missions. In the 17th century, one was sent as part of a Moroccan delegation from the Bou Regreg region to the Netherlands. At the time, envoys from Salé, Rabat, and the Kasbah of the Oudayas traveled to Amsterdam aboard a Dutch military ship, carrying horses and other gifts alongside the ostrich. The bird reportedly caused widespread curiosity among locals unfamiliar with such an animal. Dutch accounts suggest that people believed it could eat iron, a misconception that ultimately led to its death after it was fed metal objects, with later reports noting dozens of nails found in its body. The rise of the ostrich feather trade To supply such gifts and feed growing demand, ostriches were actively hunted in southern Morocco. A report published in 1876 by the Journal of the Society of Arts noted that the birds were found mainly around Wad Noun and the edges of the Sahara, described as «birds of the largest size and finest plumage». According to the same account, the ostrich «is hunted by men mounted on horses», with hunters advancing «cautiously against the wind» while tracking footprints in the sand. Once spotted, a high-speed chase followed until the birds, slowed by the wind acting on their wings, were forced to turn and face their pursuers. At that point, «the gauntlet has then to be run among the armed sportsmen», who either shot the birds or struck their legs with heavy wooden sticks. After being brought down, «the throats of the birds are cut, and the feathers plucked off», while the meat, described as «somewhat coarse», was also consumed and shared among the hunters. These feathers fed a structured and profitable trade network linking Morocco to sub-Saharan Africa and Europe. In 1875, British diplomat Sir John Drummond Hay noted that «the annual value of ostrich feathers shipped from the port of Mogador averages £20,000», with «seven-eighths… sent to London, and the remainder to France». He described a well-organized supply chain in which «the ostrich-hunters on the confines of the Sahara or Great Desert bring the feathers for sale to the markets of Tindouf, Teesoon and Wadnoon». From there, traders transported them to Essaouira, where they were «again sold to resident merchants by weight, sorted, packed, and shipped to Europe». Within this trade, Moroccan Jewish merchants played a central role. One prominent figure was Dinar Ohana, whose success was closely tied to his uncle Abraham Corcos, a leading merchant in Essaouira and a U.S. vice-consul. This relationship granted Ohana protection and allowed him to bypass heavy taxes that hindered other traders, enabling his business to flourish well into the early 20th century. Beyond trade and hunting, Morocco's natural conditions may help explain why the ostrich-feather business thrived in the country. Contemporary reports emphasized that successful ostrich farming depended on climate, noting that «the northwestern coast, from Morocco to Gambia, offers every advantage for ostrich farming». These favorable conditions, combined with established trade routes, helped position Morocco as a key hub in the ostrich-feather economy. Between history and legend The North African ostrich ultimately disappeared from Morocco in 1945 due to hunting and environmental pressures. Today, however, it is being reintroduced through conservation efforts, particularly in Souss-Massa National Park in the Chtouka Ait Baha region, where ostriches now live again in semi-wild conditions. Beyond history and trade, ostriches also occupy a place in imagination and storytelling. Released this April, 2026, the film L'Enfant du désert, shot in the Moroccan Sahara, tells the story of a child who survives in the desert after being taken in by ostriches, forming a unique bond with the animals. Inspired by a long-told legend, the film highlights both Morocco's landscapes and a time when ostriches were still part of them. Today, the story of the ostrich in Morocco bridges history and myth, recalling a vanished species that once shaped trade, diplomacy, and cultural memory.
