Caring for Nature: Giraffe

Best viewed in HQ. Giraffes are one of the world's tallest mammals. They are well known for their long necks, long legs, and spotted patterns. Giraffes have small "horns" or knobs on top of their heads that grow to be about five inches long. These knobs are used to protect the head in fights.

SIZE:
Male giraffes are larger than females. Males weigh between 2,400 and 3,000 pounds and stand up to 19 feet tall! Female giraffes weigh between 1,600 and 2,600 pounds and grow to be 16 feet tall.

POPULATION:
Giraffe populations are relatively stable.

LIFESPAN:
Healthy giraffes live about 25 years in the wild.

RANGE:
Giraffes can be found in central, eastern and southern Africa.

HABITAT:
Giraffes live in the savannas of Africa, where they roam freely among the tall trees, arid land, dense forests and open plains.

FOOD:
Their long necks help giraffes eat leaves from tall trees, typically acacia trees. If they need to, giraffes can go for several days without water. Instead of drinking, giraffes stay hydrated by the moisture from leaves.

BEHAVIOR:
Giraffes are non-territorial, social animals. They travel in large herds that are not organized in any way. Herds may consist of any combination of sexes or ages.

OFFSPRING:
Female giraffes typically give birth to one calf after a fifteen-month gestation period. During the first week of its life, the mother carefully guards her calf. Young giraffes are very vulnerable and cannot defend themselves. While mothers feed, the young are kept in small nursery groups.

THREATS:
Giraffes are hunted for their meat, coat and tails. The tail is prized for good luck bracelets, fly whisks and string for sewing beads. The coat is used for shield coverings. Habitat destruction and fragmentation are also threats to giraffe populations.

PROTECTION:
No current protective laws.

More info:
The English word "Giraffe" comes from the Italian word "Giraffa."
The Italian word probably comes from the Arabic word "Zarafa."
No one is sure where this Arabic word came from. Most people think it originally came from an African language.

The ancient Romans called this animal "Camelopardalis" which meant "A camel marked like a leopard"

Giraffes have two ways of getting around: walking and galloping
They gave kind of an ambling walk, First, they put all of their weight on the two right legs, then they put their weight on their two left legs, just like camels. The long neck sways forward and back as they walk to help them keep their balance.
While galloping, the front legs move together and the back legs move together, like a running rabbit!
What's the top speed of a giraffe? 37 miles per hour (That's about 60 kilometers per hour)

Females, calves and juveniles occur in herds of about 10 with only very loose social ties, and a flexible membership. Young males may form small bachelor groups. Mature bulls are nearly always alone, except when they join a female herd for mating. Young males spar by neck wrestling, twisting their necks together and trying to push the opponent off balance.
For further information on protecting animals please see the following web, http://www.defenders.org/

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