Archaeologists have uncovered the world's oldest ostrich nest, dating back 41,000 years, in Andhra Pradesh. This discovery was made by a team from Vadodara-based MS University, along with international colleagues from Germany, Australia, and the US, while exploring a fossil-rich site in Prakasam district. The nest contained 9-11 ostrich eggs, according to the researchers.

Typically, ostrich nests span 9-10 feet in width and can hold 30-40 eggs. This significant finding offers insights into the extinction of megafauna (animals over 40kg) in India. The team discovered nearly 3,500 ostrich eggshell fragments within a 1x1.5 meter area, marking the first evidence of ostrich presence in southern India and establishing the first archaeological proof of a 41,000-year-old ostrich nest.

Megafauna includes large animals such as horses, elephants, cattle, and hippopotamuses, many of which went extinct around 40,000 years ago globally. Devara Anilkumar, an assistant professor at the Department of Archaeology and Ancient History at MSU, highlighted that the oldest known ostrich eggshells were found in the Siwalik Hills of the Indian Himalayas, dating back over 2 million years. In peninsular India, the previous oldest evidence came from Katoti in Rajasthan, dating back 60,000 years. Anilkumar has been involved in this project since April 2023.