GiraffeGiraffa camelopardalis
Description
The giraffe is the tallest of all animals. Adult males may grow up to 18 feet tall, 5 feet taller than the African elephant, the second-tallest animal. Much of the giraffe's height comes from its legs, which in a full-grown adult male may be 6 feet long, and a neck which may be even longer. As tall as the giraffe is, however, it is relatively light; an adult male weighs only about 2,000 pounds, compared to a weight of up to 12 tons for an adult male African elephant.
A giraffe's coat has patch-like markings of tawny to chestnut-brown, separated by lines of lighter tawny or white. The color pattern serves as camouflage when the giraffe stands in the shade of trees. The patchwork pattern of an individual giraffe is unique to that giraffe, making identification of specific giraffes possible.
The head
of a giraffe is "accented" by two bony
"horns" that grow from the skull. They are not
true horns because they do not have a horny covering.
A giraffe can close its nostrils completely to keep out sand and dust. It uses its long upper lip and its tongue, which is 17 inches long, to gather food from tree branches. Giraffes have good eyesight and hearing.
Despite having an exceptionally long neck, the giraffe has the same number of neck bones as most other mammals -- seven. The sloping back measures about 5 feet from the base of the neck to the base of the tail, which is 3 feet long and ends in a tuft of long, black hairs.
Like other
artiodactyls, the giraffe's hooves are split into two
parts. Each part consists of the hardened tip of one toe;
the other toes are missing. The giraffe walks by moving
both legs on one side and then both legs on the other
side -- a form of movement called pacing. It can
gallop at speeds up to 30 miles per hour. When it
gallops, both hind feet swing out together and land in
front of the front feet.
Distribution
and Habitat
Giraffes live in the savannahs of Africa south of the Sahara.
Social Behavior
Giraffes live in herds with a fairly casual social structure. Males appear to live in groups in forested zones, old males often lead solitary lives, and females and their young live apart from both in more open country. Males visit these herds mainly for mating.
A bull fights by butting its head against the chest or neck of its opponent. The powerful blows can be heard as much as 100 yards away. These ritualized fights seldom result in injury, and appear to be a means of establishing dominance. Females seldom fight.
Food Habits
In feeding, leaves are grasped with the long tongue and mobile lips. Trees and bushes tend to become hourglass-shaped from giraffes browsing all round at a particular level. Acacia is the main source of food but many others are browsed.
Reproduction
Mating and calving take place any time of the year, with peak periods varying from one region to another. Giraffes bear only one baby at a time, except for rare cases of twins. Gestation takes 14 to 15 months. At birth, a calf may stand as tall as 6 feet and weigh as much as 150 pounds. It can stand up within an hour. The cow nurses its calf for 9 to 10 months, though the calf begins eating small amounts of green plants by the age of 2 weeks. A female can bear her first calf when she is 4 or 5 years old. Average life span for giraffes in the wild is 15 to 20 years.
Enemies
Adult giraffes have few enemies. Lions are the only animals that will attack an adult giraffe, but leopards and wild African hunting dogs will occasionally take a young giraffe. Adult giraffes defend themselves by kicking with their feet.
Other Behaviors and Habits
To drink or take food off the ground, a giraffe spreads its forelegs far apart and lowers its head. Instead of kneeling, the animal bends its forelegs only slightly.
A giraffe usually sleeps standing up. When lying down, it holds its neck upright or rests it on a hip or on a low tree limb.
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordata
Subphylum Vertebrata
Class
Mammalia
Order
Artiodactyla
Family Giraffidae
Genus and Species Giraffa camelopardalis
Giraffe Pair
