AHC: Domesticated Rideable Ostriches

[Deleted member 123260]

Your challenge is to find a way for Africans to domesticate and ride ostriches as a form of transportation before 1900.

Extra points if they serve as Africa's equivalent to horses or camels. Maybe domesticated, rideable ostriches might give Africa the "technological" advantage that equestrian societies of Eurasia had.

 

[Falecius]

Ostriches are domesticable enough. However, I do not think that rideable ostriches are physically possible. You can have a very light wheeled seat with a driver pulled by ostriches (I suppose that for anything beyond very short distances, more than one ostrich is needed, but it is done IOTL) but except sports, I think it is not particularly useful.
I guess there's a reason why all known pack or draft animals are invariably mammals (while people obviously can and do tame or domesticate animals of others kinds for other purposes, ranging from bees to peacocks).

 

[KaiserWilhelm]

Ostriches are domesticable enough. However, I do not think that rideable ostriches are physically possible. You can have a very light wheeled seat with a driver pulled by ostriches (I suppose that for anything beyong very short distances, more than one ostrich is needed, but it is done IOTL) but except sports, I think it is not particularly useful.
I guess there's a reason why all known pack or draft animals are invariably mammals (while people obviously can and do tame or domesticate animals of others kinds for other purposes, ranging from bees to peacocks).

I think the reason is simply utility, there aren’t birds, reptiles, and amphibians of the right size or shape to be pack animals and there really haven’t been for 66 million years

 

[John7755 يوحنا]

Even assuming that an ostrich would be strong enough to carry a human, it most certainly could not at fast speeds with armor. It thus, would carry little in the way of impact. The same would be the case for an ostrich chariot. Another issue, is without armoring their legs, would it not be fairly easy for a blade to carve through the long and exposed legs? Horses and humans have a bit less exposure of their legs, as I see it.

Perhaps a flock of ostrich could be used in small flocks and trained or let loose to run toward an enemy position giving away their location or disorienting the enemy?

 

[Falecius]

I think the reason is simply utility, there aren’t birds, reptiles, and amphibians of the right size or shape to be pack animals and there really haven’t been for 66 million years

Exactly.

 

[Analytical Engine]

However, I do not think that rideable ostriches are physically possible.

Not can you ride on ostriches, people race on them.

 

[Death's Little Helper]

To whit about the physical size of ostriches and their ability to carry humans, they are capable of doing so now (as noted above), and that's without the benefit of thousands of years of human breeding like what happened to horses.

Assuming domestication happens around the same time then there could be hundreds of breeds of domesticated ostriches perfectly capable of performing labour, egg laying, or riding.

As for what niche they'd fill. Just a quick look on wikipedia, suggests that in arid and semi arid environments they'd have a possible advantage over horses or cattle due to their natural adaptations.

I believe in West Africa there were issues with horses and insect carried diseases, so ostriches might move into warfare there, perhaps not as heavy cavalry, but simply for scouting and superior maneuvering even if the soldiers still dismounted to fight

 

[Deleted member 123260]

Even assuming that an ostrich would be strong enough to carry a human, it most certainly could not at fast speeds with armor. It thus, would carry little in the way of impact. The same would be the case for an ostrich chariot. Another issue, is without armoring their legs, would it not be fairly easy for a blade to carve through the long and exposed legs? Horses and humans have a bit less exposure of their legs, as I see it.

Perhaps a flock of ostrich could be used in small flocks and trained or let loose to run toward an enemy position giving away their location or disorienting the enemy?

Maybe you could alter evolution or make humans selectively breed ostriches that are strong and bulky with hard skin?

 

[John7755 يوحنا]

Maybe you could alter evolution or make humans selectively breed ostriches that are strong and bulky with hard skin?

Maybe, but we need to find a short term usage for them to get this started. Horses were only breed to be stronger and so forth after they already had developed some use. They were not first domesticated with the understanding that they would be used as indomitable war steads, at least that is my assumption.

 

[Deleted member 123260]

Maybe, but we need to find a short term usage for them to get this started. Horses were only breed to be stronger and so forth after they already had developed some use. They were not first domesticated with the understanding that they would be used as indomitable war steads, at least that is my assumption.

Ostriches are the only thing there in many parts of Africa. Maybe that's enough motivation?

Side note, does this mean you could do this now? Could you make ostriches more akin to horses?

 

[John7755 يوحنا]

Ostriches are the only thing there in many parts of Africa. Maybe that's enough motivation?

Side note, does this mean you could do this now? Could you make ostriches more akin to horses?

I am not qualified to discuss the potentiality of certain biological constructs.

 

[Death's Little Helper]

Maybe, but we need to find a short term usage for them to get this started. Horses were only breed to be stronger and so forth after they already had developed some use. They were not first domesticated with the understanding that they would be used as indomitable war steads, at least that is my assumption.

Meat, feathers, leather, and eggs seem to be the primary reason to manage ostriches today. All of which would be a factor thousands of years ago as well. Indeed ostriches were hunted specifically for all of those things, even their eggshells were used widely as far away as some parts of Europe.

So that would be the start, keep the ostriches for their feathers and eggs as trade goods or for local use, and when the die or are killed their remains could be used for clothing, crafts, or even some kinds of tools like bone needles for example.

From there larger ostriches are selected for, more meat, more feathers, even larger eggs, or more eggs.

With larger ostriches the possibility of riding or using them to pull carts comes into play, making them a valuable beast of burden, especially in more arid areas where ostriches naturally thrive, and other livestock could struggle.

I'm not suggesting that they could really outcompete horses in say North Africa or Arabia or other areas, but they could be a viable local alternative in much of sub saharan Africa.

 

[Born in the USSA]

Not can you ride on ostriches, people race on them.

The weight limit for a racing ostrich is apparently 150 pounds. Assuming lightweight armor designed to repel glancing blows plus some lightweight shinguards/helmets for the ostrich I think an ostrich as a high speed hit and run animal would make sense, and that's before a hypothetical breeding program to create stronger ones. They can already kill with a well placed kick, so add some metal spurs like they use for cockfighting and you'd be in business if your escape wasn't as smooth as you'd hope.

 

[John7755 يوحنا]

The weight limit for a racing ostrich is apparently 150 pounds. Assuming lightweight armor designed to repel glancing blows plus some lightweight shinguards/helmets for the ostrich I think an ostrich as a high speed hit and run animal would make sense, and that's before a hypothetical breeding program to create stronger ones. They can already kill with a well placed kick, so add some metal spurs like they use for cockfighting and you'd be in business if your escape wasn't as smooth as you'd hope.

My opinion would be no armor other than maybe just some light padding. Do we need to have ostrich cataphracts in sub-Saharan Africa?

Though a question, for someone who knows of their behavior. Do ostriches have the mentality to stand and fight or charge? Most wild animals would simply not engage in human warfare, preferring to flee behind cover or some other action, similar. Horses generally are intelligent enough and with practice, to be able to engage in human warfare. Do ostriches have the mental capability to engage in a battle without losing sight of commands and running?

 

[Deleted member 123260]

My opinion would be no armor other than maybe just some light padding. Do we need to have ostrich cataphracts in sub-Saharan Africa?

Though a question, for someone who knows of their behavior. Do ostriches have the mentality to stand and fight or charge? Most wild animals would simply not engage in human warfare, preferring to flee behind cover or some other action, similar. Horses generally are intelligent enough and with practice, to be able to engage in human warfare. Do ostriches have the mental capability to engage in a battle without losing sight of commands and running?

They are nomadic and very aggressively territorial so there's that.

 

[Kellan Sullivan]

I would worry about the ostriches eating the armour, TBH. When I was in South Africa a few years ago, we went to an ostrich farm and they asked us to please pocket wrist watches, jewellery etc, since they have a habit of swallowing the things.

As to their mental capacity, I'm not sure. I've often heard the rumour that "an ostrich's eye is bigger than it's brain", but brain size and brain capacity/intelligence are not necessarily the same thing.

As draft animals, I think a comparison with llamas (maybe alpacas) would be a better fit than comparing them to camels or horses.

 

[Ricard (i.e. Rdffigueira)]

Not can you ride on ostriches, people race on them.

Forget alternate worlds with zeppelins and Space Nazis, I want an alternate world where ostriches are ridden into the battle, goddammit!!

 

[Analytical Engine]

Forget alternate worlds with zeppelins and Space Nazis, I want an alternate world where ostriches are ridden into the battle, goddammit!!

Ostrich mounted archers.

 

[Oxander]

Could you, with adequate selective breeding, end up with a larger, stronger stock of Bird Mounts, or even beasts of burden to assist in transport/agriculture? Obviously not likely to have oxen level strength, but still.

The question comes down to need, though. I imagine that wherever the ostrich is native, there are more suitable animals for these purposes.

 

[herkles]

Could you, with adequate selective breeding, end up with a larger, stronger stock of Bird Mounts, or even beasts of burden to assist in transport/agriculture? Obviously not likely to have oxen level strength, but still.

The question comes down to need, though. I imagine that wherever the ostrich is native, there are more suitable animals for these purposes.

I wonder if that might result in something like the ostrich horse from Avatar?