Our next stop after our lunch at J & A Fishpen Resort and Restaurant was Camiguin’s Provincial Animal Breeding and Ostrich Production Center.  This is said to be the only facility in the country that breeds ostriches.

Here’s how the facility looks like:

Entrance fee was only at Php 5.  After paying this, the caretakers told me that I was free to roam the farm by myself.

Of course, my first stop was to the enclosure where the ostriches were kept.

Some ostrich facts:

• They are the largest flightless bird in existence.
• They can only kick forward.
• They do not have teeth and often swallow pebbles or sand to help with food digestion in the gizzard.
• They are able to go without water for several days due to the fact that they can survive on the moisture from plants instead.
• They are capable of making their own water internally.
• They can be ridden, but it is a lot trickier than riding a horse.

For more ostrich facts, click HERE.

As I watched them ran to where I was, I couldn’t help but be amused at how their face seemed to be smiling.  See?

Still, I was afraid to reach out to them for fear of getting pecked (as a child, I experienced being chased and pecked by a turkey, Ouch!).

I love animals and though it was not my first time to see an ostrich (Cebu’s Bigfoot used to have them), it was my first time to get up close to them so this was quite an experience for me.  I’m sad though, that it was not breeding season when I went there so I was not able to see  and hold an ostrich egg.

Aside from ostriches, the farm is also home to other farm animals like cows, turkeys, pigs, chicken, goats, and ducks.

I did enjoy my short visit here and it is mainly because I love animals and grew up in my sister’s farm where the same animals save the ostriches were cared for, but I hope that improvements will be in place soon.  That is, they make the experience more interactive by having the caretakers/vets conduct the tour themselves while giving out quick facts about each animal.

I wish too that the animals will always be well taken care of as I noticed a couple of cows that were thin.

I also couldn’t help but think that there’s no need for these animals to be roped off since they were already in an enclosed area.  Why not let them roam free as they’re supposed to?

Before I left, I shared my sentiments to the caretakers.  I just hope they listened and took action.