A few years back, I was in a zoo looking at some ostriches. The man standing next to me was imparting knowledge to his children with tremendous pomp and circumstance, telling them about all things ostrich. He noted that despite their comical appearance, they are very powerful birds. So far, so good. He said that they had a powerful kick – also accurate. He said that they have a sharp, retractable claw on each foot that they can use to disembowel lions. No… that’s Velociraptors.

Perhaps I’m being too harsh. Ostriches, being the largest living birds, are formidable indeed and their toe claws are dangerous weapons.We saw these animals at a farm in South Africa where we stayed for a