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Giraffe
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Mammals |
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Africa |
 |
Africa Savannah |
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Giraffidae |
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550 to 1900 K.G |
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Savannah, stepps |
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Leaves, fruits, buds |
 |
14 to 16 months |
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1 |
 |
Lions, leopards, cheetahs |
 |
Endangered |
Like humans, a giraffe only has seven
neck bones.
The Giraffe has a particular physical appearance: a very long neck, a fur
covered with markings, small horns and long legs. It can run from 50 to 60 km/h.
The coat’s colour can vary from yellowish white to brown and the markings are
yellow or brown. Its two fingers are covered with a horny material, it is known
as the hoof. Its great size enables it to feed on tree leaves, mainly the
Acacia, which are not accessible to other animals; it is a ruminant. The giraffe
is the tallest animal in the world, reaching up to 5.8 metres (19 feet). A male
can weigh from 800 to 1,900 kg (1,760 to 4,180 lbs) and a female can weigh from
550 to 1,800 kg (1,210 to 3,960 lbs). Their eyesight is good and sense of smell
and hearing are well developed. The particularly keen eyesight is exceptional: a
giraffe can spot a moving human at about two kilometres! Giraffes only live on
the African continent where they are relatively spread out. They live in grassy
savannah and steppes. They are gregarious and can live in small groups of 6 to
12 individuals or large groups (50 to 100). Inside a group a hierarchy exists,
only the dominant male will mate. The gestation period of a female is about 15
months and she will give birth, in an upright position, to one young. During its
first year, it is vulnerable to predation by a lion, leopard and cheetah or
hyena. Adults are rarely killed and if so only by lions. It can live between 20
and 25 years. The giraffe is not considered as an endangered species, but is
protected in many countries since poaching and loss of habitat really affect the
numbers outside parks and reserves.