Red Jungle fowl

Red Jungle fowl

Scientific name: Gallus gallus
Situation in the wild: Least threatened
The Jerusalem Zoo: Breeding group at the Tropical Aviary and the Children's Zoo.
The Bible: The only reference is the Hebrew word "Sekhvi"
The Natural habitat and distribution areas of the Red Jungle fowl are the Forests of East Asia, ranging from India, China and Indonesia. The Red Jungle fowl is a tropical member of the Pheasant family. It is thought to be the ancestor of the domestic chicken, which was domesticated several thousand years ago in Asia to provide a food source of both meat and eggs. Males have large red fleshy wattles and comb on the head and long, bright gold and bronze feathers. The beak is yellow. The tail is composed of long, arching feathers. The female's feathers are less colorful, helping her to camouflage. She also has no fleshy wattles or comb on the head. The Jungle fowl are thought to be threatened by extinction because of flow of genes from domestic to wild species occurring at the edge of forests where domesticated free ranging chickens are commonly kept in bordering villages and towns.
Since the domestic chicken became widespread at a comparatively late stage in history, it is not mentioned in the Bible, apart from a single reference to the Hebrew word "Sekhvi" (Job 38:36), which is generally supposed to be a Rooster. You can enjoy watching the Red Jungle fowl roaming freely at the Tropical Aviary and the Children's Zoo.

Photo: Michal Erez

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