| The giraffe is the tallest mammal on Earth. Long, long ago, it was thought to be a cross between a camel and a leopard. Thus the giraffe's scientific name of Giraffa camelopardalis. Giraffes can be found in the savannas of central, eastern and southern Africa, south of the Sahara Desert. There they roam freely among the tall trees, arid land, dense forests and open plains. Giraffes live in loosely organized herds of 12 to 15 members. Each herd is led by an adult bull and consists of cows, calves, and young males. Giraffes have chestnut brown blotches against a buff background; no two giraffes have the same pattern of spots. These markings blend in well with the dappled shadows of tree branches. |
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Giraffes have a keen sense of smell and hearing and an outstanding sense of sight. These along with their height (the male is almost 16 feet high), make it easy for them to watch for predators. They can reach speeds of up to 30 mph, and can often out run any danger. Humans, lions, crocodiles, hyenas, and wild dogs are their chief predators. If attacked, they will protect themselves by kicking with their large, sharp, heavy hooves. A giraffe's feet are the size of a dinner plate—12 inches across. |
| Like most mammals, the
giraffe has seven vertebrae in its neck. The vertebrae
are greatly elongated and the neck muscles are highly
developed to support the giraffe’s long neck. Ball
and socket joints give the giraffe flexibility. Because
the giraffe’s heart is so far from its head, its
vascular system is equipped with unusually elastic blood
vessels and special valves to make sure that sufficient
blood reaches the giraffe’s brain. This helps offset
the sudden buildup of blood when the head is raised,
lowered or swung quickly. Otherwise the giraffe might
pass out. This long neck allows the giraffe to reach high into acacia trees. The leaves of the thorny acacia tree are the giraffe’s main food source. They also eat other leaves, twigs and acacia bark. The giraffe is a ruminant and has a stomach with four compartments that digests the leaves it eats. When giraffes aren't eating, they are chewing their cud. After they swallow the leaves the first time, a ball of leaves will travel all the way back up the throat into the mouth for more grinding. |
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Its long, prehensile tongue (up to 21 inches long) and its muscular upper lip are used to rip the leaves from the branches. They also have thick, sticky saliva that coats any thorns they might swallow. It is thought that the dark color of their tongues protect them from getting sunburned while reaching for leaves on trees. Because giraffes get their food and most of their moisture from the acacia leaves, they can go for over a month without drinking, They also do not have to migrate during the dry seasons. The few times they do drink, they must spread their long forelegs widely to reach the water. This makes them vulnerable to attack. For this same reason giraffes rarely graze grass and usually sleep standing up. |
| Giraffes have long, full lashes that help protect their eyes. They swish the fringe at the end of their tails to keep flies and other pests away. |
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During mating season males vie for females by butting with their heavy necks and heads. 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. After about 15 months the mother will have a single baby, which can stand 20 minutes after birth. A giraffe’s life span is 15 to 25 years. Once heavily hunted for their thick, leathery skins, giraffes are now protected. |
