N. African Ostrich Recovery Facilities

Kellé, Niger

The North African Ostrich, an ostrich subspecies (Struthio camelus camelus) and the world's largest bird at 9 feet tall, struggles to continue its existence. Fewer than 20 breeding adults are known to have survived predations and habitat disruption. The Sahara Conservation Fund pledged to help inhabitants of this remote region in the Sahel, who have worked for years with captive birds to keep the population from completely dying out.

To aid their efforts, an ambitious project was launched with the assistance of the Wildlife Conservation Network to provide facilities modeled on the San Diego Zoo's successful effort to re-introduce the California Condor into the wild. This project depends on modern poultry husbandry and scientific equipment, which in turn depend on a supply of electricity, climate control, and clean facilities for disease control.

Joined by many other individuals and corporations, I have donated over 400 hours to the design of this complex of four units, which were shipped in April, 2018 to Africa. The facility has now been completely assembled and commissioned in Kellé. Veterinarians and conservationists will now have the technical means to increase egg and chick survival rates dramatically. (read more . . .)

Incubator room

Facility construction, Feb 11, 2019

Click image to watch video!

Solar canopy progress, Feb 12

Plans, after 8 mos. held captive in Benin

pete retondo architecture design architecture and environmental design

Pete Retondo Architecture Design

Pete Retondo Architecture