Staff at wildlife park steps in for abandoned ostrich chick

GAZİANTEP

The clinical staff at Gaziantep Wildlife Park has taken over the care of a 6-day-old ostrich chick named "Garip" after its mother showed no interest.

Born six days ago in the park, the ostrich chick was brought to the clinic by staff when it became clear that its mother was not tending to it. Given the name "Garip," the chick is being fed special food and cared for with motherly affection by the clinic's staff.

Celal Özsöyler, the head of the Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality’s Department of Wildlife Conservation, told the state-run Anadolu Agency that the mother had abandoned Garip because it was the only chick.

"We feed the ostrich chick not only with regular feed but also with morio worms, a protein-rich insect species. We provide four-five morio worms daily to ensure rapid growth through a protein-based diet. The chick is kept in an intensive care unit at 25 centigrade with 65 percent humidity. Once it reaches a certain size, we will reunite it with its mother," Özsöyler said.