The Arabian ostrich's range seems to have been continuous in prehistoric times, but with the drying-up of the
Mitochondrial DNA studies have shown a close relationship to the North African subspecies camelus, indicating there may have been intergradation between the two.[6] Almost indistinguishable from that subspecies, the females were possibly of a slightly lighter coloration.[citation needed] The only certain way to distinguish camelus and syriacus was the smaller size of the latter, with only marginal overlap: the tarsus
was 390–465 mm long in syriacus versus 450–530 mm in camelus.
Relationship with humans
The Arabian ostrich has long had a significant place in the culture of the region. An adult with 11 offspring is featured on the famous prehistoric "Graffiti Rock I" near
Tang China, an ostrich was a welcome exotic gift fit for an emperor: ostriches figure in the decoration of the Qianling Mausoleum
In Roman times, there was a demand for ostriches to use in venatio games or cooking. These birds usually would have come from the North African subspecies rather than from the Arabian one, as the latter was only found in the unruly frontier regions of the Roman Empire, although it is to be noted that much later, the plumes of the Arabian ostrich were considered superior material for hatmaking compared to those of the North African subspecies.
Muslims) and eggs, feathers and leather were extensively used in handicraft. Arabian ostrich products, as well as live birds, were exported as far as China
. A Tang dynasty source states that the "camel bird" inhabiting Arabia is
The Arabian ostrich is mentioned by T. E. Lawrence in Seven Pillars of Wisdom, when one Arabian tribe brings eggs to Faisal I of Iraq as a peace offering. It is mentioned that the ostrich is plentiful in the tribe's territory.
Extinction
Engraving of an ostrich hunt in Palestine from 1877
The widespread introduction of firearms and, later, motor vehicles marked the start of the decline towards extinction of the subspecies. Earlier hunting methods with bow, arrows and dogs had allowed most animals of a group to escape, but rifles and cars enabled
St. John Philby from Mahadir Summan, Arabia, around 1931.[13]
Reintroduction attempts
Following analyses of
reintroduction project using S. c. camelus was set up in Saudi Arabia and Qatar in 1994.[15] A failed reintroduction was attempted in Israel's Negev in 2004.[16][4]
Rothschild, Walter (1919). "Description of a new subspecies of Ostrich from Syria". Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club. 39: 81–83.
Robinson, Terence J.; Matthee, Conrad A. (1999). "Molecular genetic relationships of the extinct ostrich, Struthio camelus syriacus: consequences for ostrich introductions into Saudi Arabia". Animal Conservation. 2 (3): 165–171.
Seddon, Philip J.; Soorae, Pritpal S. (1999). "Guidelines for Subspecific Substitutions in Wildlife Restoration Projects". Conserv. Biol. 13 (1): 177–184.
