Hobbies And Interests

Specific Characteristics of Giraffes

Tall mammals that roam the open grasslands of Africa's savannas, giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) have a lifespan of about 15 to 25 years. Giraffes are vegetarians. In the wild, they must be wary of predators such as lions and crocodiles. Although humans have hunted giraffes for food, sport or science, there are laws now that forbid the hunting of giraffes in the wild. the specific characteristics of giraffes distinguish them from other animals in Africa and indeed around the world.
  1. Appearance

    • There are nine different subspecies of giraffes that live in Africa. Each subspecies has a distinct coat, or fur, pattern. The coat patterns of the nine subspecies are determined by their habitat and their diet. The coat patterns range from a light tan to a near-black color. Giraffes can appear with brown-on-blond spots, or they can have reddish-brown coat patterns etched in white. Giraffes can mate across subspecies and do not discriminate among one another based on the colors of their coats. Giraffes have a mane of fur that runs down the length of their neck and are born with up to five horns.

    Size

    • Giraffes are the tallest mammals on earth. They are quadrupeds, or animals that stand on four legs. A giraffe's cloven hoofs, or feet, are about the size of a dinner plate. Male giraffes, also called bulls, can weigh up to 1.5 tons and reach 18 feet or more in height. Female giraffes, also called cows, can weigh 0.5 tons and reach 14 to 16 feet in height. Giraffes have long necks that contain seven vertebrae. To drink water from the ground, a giraffe must spread its legs and bend down, because its neck is not long enough to reach the ground while the animal is standing fully erect.

    Diet

    • Giraffes are strict vegetarians; they can spend all day eating plants and leaves. They use their long necks to reach up and pick leaves off of trees with their long tongues. Giraffes can eat up to 75 lbs. of food in one day - their favorite meal is acacia tree leaves. Giraffes are ruminants, animals that chew their cud, or regurgitated food, and have stomachs divided into four compartments to help digestion.

    Reproduction

    • Male and female giraffes mate briefly and then the female endures a 15-month pregnancy. When a female giraffe is about to give birth, she seeks privacy in the wild. The female gives birth standing up, and typically gives birth to only one baby giraffe, also called a calf. During birth, the calf falls or drops about 5 to 6 feet to the ground. A calf can start walking in about a half an hour to an hour after it is born. Female giraffes may create cooperative childcare units, or nurseries, in which one mother giraffe watches over other mother giraffes' calves so that the mothers can go and search for food.


https://www.htfbw.com © Hobbies And Interests