The Baby Giraffe

GIRAFFE FACTS

 

The giraffe got its name from the combination of the camel and the leopard with the name camelopardilis. The ancient Romans and Greeks according to history thought that the Giraffe was a crossbreed of a camel and a leopard.

Giraffe eats up to 75 pounds of food a day which is mainly composed of  (typically Acacia leaves) found in the savannah.

Giraffe favorite food is from some of the tallest thorn trrees in africa which are known as Acacia Leaves

The giraffe magestick tongue is 18 inches long and it can reach to the furthest leaves twist them up and bring a whole chunkc of leaves into its mouth in a gulp

Since giraffes are ruminatns, they have have  four chambers in their  stomach and after having a nice meal oncein a while they will regurgitate their food while they are not eating and most probablywhile they are resting for additional chewing.

Due to the environmental conditions at the savannah, water is always scarce bu the giraffe always gets mostof his water requirements from eating the Acacia leaf. This doese not mean that giraffes don't need water, when they find water, giraffes will consume up to 10 gallons of water in a day.

Giraffes don't have horns but the progections ontop of their heads act like horns and they are known as Knobs (Ossicones)

Just like all other wild animals inthe wild, the giraffe produces less sound while it communicates with its fellow giraffes. It always gives a hissiiing sound, moos, roar not like alion or a dog and at times  whistle inits own unique way.

The giraffe is blessed withthe longest tain in allt he animal kingdom which runs  up to 8 feet long.

Giraffes in Nairobi Kenya are treated with a bunch of carrots while  at the San Diego zoo  they feast on  raw onions as a special treat

• Ancient Romans and Greeks thought that the Giraffe was a mix between a camel and a leopard. This is where their scientific Genus name of "camelopardalis" comes from.
• Their heart is 2 feet long and weighs about 25 pounds
• The heart's muscular walls are several inches thick
• They have the highest known blood pressure of any mammal in the world – up to 280/180mm Hg when prone at heart level (approximately twice that of an average human)
• Their heart beats up to 170 times/minute
• Jugular vein contains a series of one way valves that prevent the back flow of blood when the Giraffes head is down to drink water. This prevents the Giraffe from blacking out.
• The heart pumps about 16 gallons of blood/minute
• Oxpeckers(tick birds) are often seen "hitching" a ride on the backs of Giraffes. They help keep the Giraffe parasite free by eating ticks and other parasites off of the Giraffes skin.

• Extreme care must be taken when scientists catch Giraffes for study or for capture for a zoo exhibit. If the Scientists run the Giraffe too long, the Giraffe will suffer a heart attack due to its high blood pressure. Scientists typically target younger Giraffes for this reason.
• Have no tear ducts, although they have been seen crying
• Have never been observed bathing
• Mom Giraffes form a type of daycare for their young. One of the females in the heard will stay behind and baby sits all of the youngsters while the rest of the females go out foraging for food.
• Despite its extreme length, the Giraffes neck is actually too short to reach the ground. As a result, it has to awkwardly spread its front legs or kneel on its front legs in order to reach the ground to drink water.

• It is the tallest animal in the world
• Males stand 16-18 feet; Females 14-16 feet
• Males weigh up to 2,000 pounds; Females a bit lighter
• Females use their hooves as weapons only to defend their young.

• They are strong enough to kill a lion, which is the Giraffe's only real predator.
• Born with horns
• Both males and females have them.
• Covered with skin
• Males are thicker and heavier and are used sometimes to fight other males.
• Only found naturally in Africa
• Their tongue is black

• Can gallop 31-37 miles per hour
• Form herds and travel together for protection
• Their average territorial range is approximately 46 square miles
• Males known as bulls

• Females known as cows
• Can rest standing up
• Usually only sleep 5 minutes at a time

• When sleeping, the giraffe generally lies on the ground, tucking its front legs under itself, then curls its neck back and rests its head on its rump.
• Females have their first conception in their fifth year.
• Gestation period is 15 months
• Interval between births is generally 20 months

• Life expectancy of 25 years in the wild
• A baby is generally 6 feet tall and will weigh about 150 pounds at birth

• A baby will fall approximately 6 feet during birth before hitting the ground
• A baby will begin nursing within one hour
• A baby will generally also begin walking within one hour
• They spend between 16 and 20 hours a day feeding

The Young Giraffe

Kerplunk! The mother giraffe gives birth standing up so that the baby giraffe falls to the ground from a lofty height of two metres, an tinusual start to the great adventure of life. Fortunately the new-born giraffe always falls on its side thereby avoiding injury to its head. The mother licks it energetically, activating the circulation. After numerous attempts, the baby giraffe manages to stand up, but its long wobbling legs are not yet steady. Now the savannah has one more inhabitant.

In the zoo gentle animals like giraffes may learn to take food from visitors, big and small.

The young okapi bellows like a calf if separated from its mother; after nine months of suckling, it can feed itself. The okapi, a close relation of the giraffe, is found only in the virgin forests of Zaire. 

There are different species of giraffes, but they all have the same its. Here we see a Masai giraffe of Kenya with her offspring. young giraffe suckles for ten weeks, but at three weeks he ns to feed on grass as well.

giraffes have excellent eyesight and can see all colours. They quite fearless and will approach cars without the occupants lizing they are being spied on by these curious creatures.

When danger strikes, the young giraffe takes refuge under his mother’s stomach, facing the attacker. With the field free in front of her, the mother giraffe can kick out against the fierce lion.

Encounters between young giraffes and other young animals of the savannah and the bush can produce some funny situations. Here, for example, a giraffe runs away in fright from a little elephant that wants to play.

Shortly alter heaving their den, the cubs engage in their favourite pastime, sliding down an icy slope, just like children.

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