Giraffes are African mammals, tallest of all land species and ruminants (mammals that digest plant-based food by softening it's stomach then vomitting the undigested mass and chewing it again). They are well know for their long legs,necks and beautiful spotted patterns. Giraffes belong in a species known as "CAMELOPARDALIS".
The average height of a male giraffe is 18 feet, whereas females grow up to 14 feet. Male giraffes weigh up to surprisingly 1360 kilos and females 680 kilos. It's feet are the size of dinner plates.They are very social creatures, grazing the grassland in groups or herds especially females. They enjoy associating in groups. Males however, prefer to hang with the 'bachelor mate-free' giraffes. Older giraffe's tend to isolate itself, preferring to be lonely in the wild. Giraffes have a life span from 15 to 20 years.
It takes a lot of food to power up this gentle monster. It eats about 34 kilos of food per day! It's favourite meal include acacia trees. Acacia trees contain lot of water. Giraffes with a diet of acacia trees can eventually go weeks without water. Apart from acacias, it still enjoys grass and fruits.
I'm sure the first thing that comes into your mind when you hear the word 'giraffe' is an animal with an extremely long neck. It comes in handy when it tries to reach for some delicious leaves on the tall tree tops. Both sexes have horns. The horns are usually used to indicate whether it is a male or a female depending on it's shape and length. Males have long, bald horns. It is structured that way because male giraffes tend to combat one another with it's head. Females have short horns and contain hair known as ossicones.
Giraffes are SO big, hiding itself from predators is just useless and a waste of time. It's major predators include crocodiles and lions. Fortunately, they run at around 48 km/h , just the right speed to escape some of it's foe. Female giraffes have a gestation period (period where the mother carries it's young in her womb) of about 14 months. It usually gives birth to 1 young. The calf is born by it's mother dropping it to the ground, landing on it's head. The baby giraffe is dropped about 1.8 metres above the ground. This looks like it hurts, but thankfully, the baby giraffe can't feel a thing. Newborns have an average weight of 45-60 kg and are able to walk an hour after birth. When they grow old, their mothers leave them in nurseries.
In the olden days, people mistake a giraffe for a combination of a camel, due to it's long figure, and a leopard, because of it's spots. Giraffes have sleeping requirements between 10 mins to 2 hours, which totals it up to an average of 1.9 hours of sleep a day! They sleep standing up. They have really long tongue, about 18 to 20 inches long. Giraffes sometimes use it to wipe or scare of insects that are on it's face, and usually just swallow those around it's mouth. Surprisingly, the quiet-looking animal is actually loud. They are able to moo, hiss, roar, snort and whistle. What a perfect way to communicate with one another!
Giraffes look very gentle and innocent but they are dangerous too. It has a very deadly kick, so deadly that in just one kick, it is able to crush it's predator's spine and shatter it's skull. Lions enjoy delicious baby giraffes, and when it spots one, it continues to stalk it. When it's mother see's it , she usually stands infront of her young, defending it. Some lions don't care and just continue to attack it, unaware that the mother's kick can put an end to it's life just immediately. So,on a visit to an African safari one day, NEVER disturb a baby giraffe unless you really think you don't want to live anymore.
The numbers of giraffe in the wild are decreasing. This is because they are hunted for food by predators and hunters. It is also killed for it's fur, suitable for designs and patterns. In Africa, the members of the tribes usually kill it for it's tail and use it as a bracelet, as it is said to be good luck by their ancient ancestors. Thankfully, they are not in the level of endangered species but it lies at the 'risk of being endangered' in the many many years to come as there are no government protective laws securing it's future in the jungle. This is unfortunate as they actually wowed the world over with their enormous size and mild nature and i personally think they are one of the most beautiful creatures on our planet.
Giraffes
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