The sun is setting on Ethiopia's Yabello National Park A female ostrich rises from her nest to let her male partner take watch over their eggs by night She ruffles her feathers shaking off the day's dust and heads off to feed Using his wide beak the male begins turning all 20 of the eggs pausing occasionally to scan the area It is late May the end of the dry season and lightning flashes in the distance The ostrich
spies movement a troop of hamadryas baboons He faces the baboons and spreads his feathers in a show of force Several baboons break away from the troop and circle to the ostrich's back Their plan is a simple one to distract the bird and steal the eggs But the ostrich is alert He whirls and chases the intruders The baboons scatter No eggs tonight This ostrich is far too vigilant to be tricked
