Wildlife park forced to put down ostrich flock after health scare

THE country’s top wildlife park has been forced to put down its entire flock of ostriches after a health scare.

Bosses at Fota Wildlife Park in Cork took the decision to euthanise the animals to safeguard the health of its remaining collection of 35 bird species, numbering some 400 birds.

The park could be without ostriches, the largest of all living birds, for up to 12 months while the search for replacements gets under way.