The industry is still a fledgling one, with just a few hundred ostrich farms dotting the U.S. According to the most recent U.S. agricultural census in 2012, Illinois is home to the country’s third largest statewide inventory of ostrich, 406 birds on four farms.

Male ostriches are called cocks or roosters, and females are called hens. A group of ostriches is called a flock. Flocks can consist of up to 100 birds, though most have 10 members, according to the San Diego Zoo. The group has a dominant male and a dominant female and several other females.

Today, ostrich farms are considered to be among the most profitable agricultural projects. They are often referred to as “the farms of the future” because of the large variety of possible products and hence their high profit potential. Ostriches are raised commercially for their meat, hide and feathers.

One adult ostrich can provide around 100 kilos of red meat, which can be sold for 400–500 pesos (US$8–11 as of January 2014) per kilo. Ostrich eggs, skin and feathers had also been sold to the market.

Antiporda pointed out that an ostrich is not a domesticated animal and is still covered by the Republic Act 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act of 2001. He said those with farms should also have the proper registration when obtaining ostriches.

Taking into consideration that the ostrich is a non-threatened species, it is allowed to be kept as a pet provided that a certificate of wildlife registration (CWR) has been obtained from the Biodiversity Management Bureau or its regional or local offices.

More importantly, is it legal to keep a pet ostrich in your home? The Department of Environment and Natural Resources said yes, as long as you have the papers and know-how to back it up. Owners based in Metro Manila can get this certificate from the Wildlife Resources Permitting Section at the DENR-NCR.

Domestic ostriches are somewhat smaller and more docile, but their temperament and relationship with human beings do not make them very compatible as pets.

MailOnline Travel has rounded up a collection of the rarest animals to roam the earth, and the zoos in which you can see them.

• Red panda.
• Common sawfish.
• Twin vervets.
• Four-eyed turtle.
• Blue tarantula.
• Jumping shrew.
• Tasmanian devil.
• Hairy-nosed wombat.

24 Rarest of Rare Awesome Things Found on Earth Ever

1. White Peacocks (Found in Grasslands of Australia and India)
2. Bismuth Crystals.
3. The Insides of a Meteorite.
4. Jeweled Squid (Mid Atlantic and Pacific Ocean)
5. ‘Life Within Death ‘ : Chinese Lantern (China, Japan and Southern Europe)