Elvis the ostrich

You might have noticed that our male ostrich, Elvis, looks a little unusual – he’s missing quite a few feathers on his back. We’d like to reassure you that he’s in excellent health and under the close supervision of our keeping and veterinary teams.

Elvis has developed a habit of plucking some of his own feathers. We believe it’s comparable to someone biting their nails: a self-soothing behaviour rather than an indication of any underlying medical or welfare concern. Our team has carried out all the usual checks, and there’s no evidence of illness, stress or psychological issues behind it. It simply appears to be a behaviour he finds comforting.

We’ll continue to monitor him and provide plenty of enrichment to encourage more appropriate behaviours over time. In the meantime, you can be assured that Elvis is healthy, content and very well cared for.