Ecology
Basic:
Giraffes are the tallest land animals on the planet. Males reach a height of 5.5 meters, and females - 4.3 meters, while as cubs can grow to about 1.8 meters. Surprisingly, baby giraffe grows literally by leaps and bounds - up to 2.5 centimeters per day!
Just as humans have unique fingerprints, so each giraffe has a unique color scheme. Some representatives have a pattern on the wool in the form of oak leaves, while others have square-shaped patterns, so it seems that a large net was thrown over the giraffe. The spots on the skin of animals can vary in color, from very light to almost black, depending on what they eat and where they live. Some experts argue that giraffes need spots for camouflage.
In the wild, giraffes can sleep as little as 20 minutes a day and usually no longer than 5 minutes at a time, as they have to be on the lookout at all times to hide from enemies.
All giraffes have a pair of hairy horns. Male giraffes use them to fight other males. They rest their heads against each other and braid their necks, this fight is called "wrestling necks".
Like camels, giraffes can survive for a long time without water thanks to their diet, especially the acacia leaves, which are high in moisture. When they really feel thirsty, they go to a watering hole to the nearest body of water and are forced to spread wide or bend their legs in order to reach the water with their muzzle. At this point, giraffes are quite vulnerable to predators. To protect themselves, giraffes usually do not go to the watering hole alone, so that their relatives watch for the approach of danger and can warn in time.
Giraffes eat exclusively plant foods, especially tree leaves, buds, mimosa and acacia branches. Their growth allows you to get to food that is not available to other animals. A giraffe can eat up to 35 kilograms of food per day. Since a giraffe can pluck and swallow only a few leaves at a time, almost the whole day goes by with a meal.
Acacia trees have sharp thorns that stop most animals, but not giraffes. Their half-meter tongues can grope for thorns, and dense thick saliva covers thorns that a giraffe can swallow. The dark color of the tongue helps protect it from sunburn when the giraffe reaches for the leaves in the trees.
Giraffes are ruminants, like cows, and have four cells in their stomachs that allow them to properly digest the leaves. After the giraffe has swallowed a mouthful of leaves, a ball of already chewed leaves is lifted back up to grind even more.
Giraffes mate at any time of the year, after 14 months a newborn is born. Immediately after birth, the cub falls to the ground from a height of about 1.8 meters. The impact usually does not harm the baby, but forces him to take the first breath. The cub is firmly on its feet within an hour after birth, and 10 hours after birth it can already run. After a couple of weeks, the cubs join a group of young people called crèches.
In the wild, giraffes live for about 25 years, while in captivity they can live longer.
Habitat:
Once upon a time, giraffes lived in dry savannas south of the Sahara, where there were trees. Today, their habitats have been significantly reduced due to the loss of territories. Most giraffes live in wooded savannas, open woodlands in coastal forests in eastern Africa and northern parts of southern Africa where protected national parks are located.
West African giraffes live in the wild in the southwest of Niger. Last remaining population ugandan giraffe lives in Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda. This subspecies has also been introduced at 6 sites in Kenya and at one additional site in Uganda.
Conservation status: from Least Concern to Endangered
In general, giraffes are not in danger of extinction, but some subspecies are in danger. For example, West African and Ugandan giraffes are at risk of extinction.
Giraffes are quite widespread in Africa, their population reaches about 100 thousand individuals. Experts say that the number of giraffes is decreasing due to habitat loss and poaching, so these animals may in the near future end up in the Red Book as an endangered species.
West African giraffes are in the greatest danger of extinction. Currently, there are less than 200 of them left, but thanks to conservation programs, the number of these giraffes is gradually increasing.
Ugandan giraffes are also under threat. There are about 2,500 of them left, and experts fear that they are decreasing every day.
The appearance of giraffes resembles a cross between a camel and a leopard. They have a small hump on their back and a spotted hide. Some people called a giraffe "camel-leopard", hence its Latin name camelopardalis.
The foot of a giraffe is about 30 centimeters in diameter - about the size of a dinner plate.
The giraffe's neck reaches a length of about 2 meters and weighs over 250 kilograms.
The hind legs of the giraffe appear shorter, although they are practically the same length as the front ones - on average 1.8 meters.
The heart of a giraffe weighs about 11 kilograms and has a diameter of about 0.6 meters.
For a long time, it was believed that giraffes are mute, but in fact they produce sounds that are inaccessible to the human ear. They can also whistle, hiss, bellow and growl.
In addition to humans, the only enemies of giraffes in nature are lions and crocodiles. Giraffes are adept at defending themselves with deadly kicks when in grave danger.
Males need to sniff or taste the female's urine to determine if she is ready to mate.
Giraffes have the same number of vertebrae in the spine as in humans - 7. Each of the vertebrae is about 25 centimeters long.
Giraffes can run pretty fast to escape enemies. The record speed of a giraffe is 55 kilometers per hour.
The giraffe is a kind of mammal from the artiodactyl family of the same name. Close relatives of giraffes are okapi, and distant relatives are deer.
Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis).
The appearance of a giraffe cannot be confused with any other animal. It is a very large animal, competing with a bull in body weight. The weight of the giraffes is 750-900 kg. But looking at him, it's hard to believe that the giraffe is so heavy. It looks elegant due to the incredibly long flexible neck. Its length can reach several meters, and the total height of a giraffe is 5-6 m. This is the tallest animal on earth!
The saber-horned antelope next to the giraffe gives an idea of its height.
The giraffe's head is small, it is crowned with short horns, pubescent with wool. Giraffes can also have two pairs of horns.
Sometimes there is a humped projection in the middle of the forehead, similar to the fifth underdeveloped horn.
The eyes of giraffes are large, with long fluffy eyelashes. It is also characteristic that these animals have a very long tongue, helping them to reach the most distant branches. By the way, this language is black.
The limbs of giraffes are of different lengths: the front ones are much longer than the hind ones, although in most animals the opposite is true. The legs are thin and slender, the unhurried gait of the giraffes looks a little stilted. Among all ungulates, the giraffe has the brightest color: large spots are scattered on the fawn skin, the color of which varies from red to brown. Legs and belly appear lighter. On the neck, giraffes have a short, erect mane, like a horse, and a tail, on the contrary, with a tassel like a donkey. Interestingly, the color of giraffes is strictly individual and the pattern of spots is never repeated.
The range of these animals covers almost all of Africa. Giraffes live in savannas and rare forests. These are herd animals living in groups of 7-12 individuals. There is a rigid hierarchy within the herd: animals are divided into ranks and the lower ones obey the higher ones. The position of the animal in the herd can be determined by the angle of inclination of the neck: the lower the giraffe stands on the hierarchical ladder, the more it lowers its neck to the ground. In general, giraffes are very calm and peaceful animals; there are no conflicts and physical struggles between them. By the way, this is the only ungulate species that is completely voiceless. Giraffes don't make any sounds at all!
Most of the time, these ungulates move at a leisurely pace, but although the giraffe does not hurry, its long legs allow it to develop a decent speed when walking. Giraffes walk also unusually: they amble, carrying out the legs of one side of the body while walking at the same time. They do not know how to run at a trot; in case of danger, they immediately go to a gallop. This gait also looks peculiar: the smooth movements of the giraffes give the impression of slow motion, but the speed can reach 50 km / h! Giraffes cannot maintain such a pace for a long time, but, surprisingly, they are able to jump high. Looking at the absurd limbs of giraffes you cannot say this, but they can easily jump over two-meter fences!
Sometimes giraffes lie on the ground, chewing food methodically. But these animals sleep less than an hour a day!
Giraffes feed on the foliage of trees, giving preference to acacias. With the help of a long neck, they are able to reach the very top branches, but they cannot reach the ground. To nibble grasses, they have to bend their front legs, in the same position they are forced to drink. Another unusual feature of giraffes is that they sleep extremely little. In terms of sleep duration, they hold the record among vertebrates: in order to get enough sleep for an adult giraffe, 6-20 minutes a day is enough! Giraffes sleep, unlike most ungulates, not standing, but lying down, bending their neck to the croup.
In this position, giraffes are defenseless against predators.
Breeding season begins in summer. Males arrange ritual fights with each other, butting each other with their necks. But violent fights between them never happen.
Mating duel of giraffes.
Pregnancy in these animals lasts 15 months, the female gives birth while standing and the newborn falls to the ground from a height of two meters.
A female giraffe with a cub.
The cub keeps with its mother up to 1, 5 years, and becomes fully adult by 4 years. Giraffes live up to 25 years.
A baby giraffe is not separated from its mother.
In nature, lions and hyenas attack adults, and leopards can also hunt young animals. Predators try to lie in wait for giraffes at the watering hole when they drink water with their legs wide apart. In the event of an attack, the victim does not have time to rise; in other cases, the giraffe can give a worthy rebuff to the attackers. He defends himself with blows of his front legs and is quite capable of breaking the skull of a lion.
Giraffes tolerate captivity well and always attract visitors to zoos.
Our ancestors learned about the giraffe 40 thousand years ago. It was then that Homo sapiens began mastering. The long acquaintance of people with this amazing creature is confirmed by petroglyphs, which are 12-14 thousand years old. The stones are located in the northwest of today's Libya, on the slopes of Wadi Metkandush.
Not only African animals are carved on them, but also scenes of human communication with them. For example: in one of the engravings, a man sits astride a giraffe. It is difficult to say what it is: an artist's fantasy or evidence of attempts at domestication of these animals.
Julius Caesar's contemporaries were probably the first citizens of a European state to see and appreciate the outlandish inhabitants of Africa. They were brought to the cities of the Roman Empire by Arab traders. After several centuries, the European public was able to get a good look at the giraffe. It was received as a gift by the Florentine Lorenze de Medici. This was in the 15th century.
The next similar meeting of the inhabitants of Europe with the African miracle took place 300 years later. In 1825, King Charles 10 of France received it as a gift from an Egyptian pasha. Not only the suzerain and courtiers were surprised giraffe, animal was shown to the general public.
In the classifier of animals, Karl Linnaeus included a giraffe in 1758 under the Latin system name Giraffa camelopardalis. The first part of the name is from the distorted Arabic word “zarafa” (smart).
The second part of the name literally means “leopard camel”. The unusual name of the amazing herbivore suggests that biologists had very superficial information about him.
The Russian name, of course, comes from the Latin. For a long time it was used in the feminine gender. Then the options for the feminine and masculine became acceptable. In modern speech, it is used in the masculine gender, although "giraffe" will also not be a mistake.
Giraffes can form huge herds with their neighbors
Description and features
Modern technology (television, Internet) makes it possible to get acquainted with this artiodactyl without leaving home. Giraffe in the photo or the video looks great. First of all, the structure of the body is surprising. The body has a sloping back.
It turns into an excessively elongated neck, crowned with a small (relative to the body) head with horns. The legs are long, but not massive. At a speed of 55 kilometers per hour, they are able to move a creature whose weight sometimes exceeds a ton.
Growth of an adult giraffe approaching 6 meters. The length of the neck is about a third of the total height, that is, 1.8-2 meters. On the head, individuals of both sexes have small horns, sometimes not one, but two pairs. In front of the horns, there may be an oblique outgrowth, also resembling a horn.
Small ears indicate good hearing. Large, black eyes surrounded by shaggy eyelashes indicate excellent vision. Developed hearing and vision with tall stature increase the chances of survival in an African.
The most amazing part of a giraffe's body is the neck. To make it so long, nature provided the neck with a family (as it should be) with vertebrae of a special size. They are 25 centimeters long. Females do not differ in body structure from males, but they are 10-15 percent lower and lighter than males.
If the sizes and proportions of the body in all species and subspecies of animals are similar, then the pattern and color are different. The general color of the skin is yellow-orange. All over the body there are spots of red, brown and transitional shades. There is a subspecies in which the pattern looks more like a grid than spots. Scientists say it is impossible to find giraffes with identical patterns.
The internal organs of a mammal match its external appearance: they are very large and not quite ordinary. The black tongue reaches half a meter in length. It is a flexible and powerful tool for grabbing branches and plucking vegetation. The tongue is helped by a tenacious and flexible upper lip, covered with coarse hair to protect it from thorns.
The esophagus is equipped with developed muscles to transport food to and from the stomach. As with any ruminant, only repeated chewing can help normal digestion. The stomach, which has four sections, is oriented towards the ruminant way of assimilating food. Giraffe, tallest animal, has an intestine 70 meters long.
Kinds
In the Neogene period, having separated from the deer-like ones, the ancestor of this artiodactyl appeared. Settled primitive giraffe in africa, Asia and Europe. Not one, but several prehistoric species claimed to be further developed. But in the Pleistocene, a cold snap began. Many large animals became extinct. The giraffe has been reduced to two species: the okapi and the giraffe.
Scientists believe that neck lengthening of giraffes began in the late Pleistocene. Possible reasons for this process are called the struggle between males for leadership and competition for food. Together with the neck, the legs lengthened and the body changed configuration. Till adult giraffe growth did not reach six meters. The evolutionary process stopped there.
The modern species of giraffes includes nine subspecies.
- The Nubian giraffe is a nominative subspecies. Is on the verge of extinction. Southeast Sudan, South Sudan and western Ethiopia are home to approximately 650 adults. This subspecies is named - Giraffa camelopardalis camelopardalis.
- The number of West African giraffes is even smaller. Only 200 animals live in Chad. The Latin name for this subspecies is Giraffa camelopardalis peralta.
- There was a province of Kordofan in Sudan. On its territory there was one of the giraffe species, which was named Giraffa camelopardalis antiquorum. Now this subspecies is observed in the south of Chad, in Cameroon.
- The reticulated giraffe is native to Kenya and southern Somalia. From the name it is clear that the pattern on the skin of a giraffe is more like a mesh than spots. This animal is sometimes called the Somali giraffe. Scientific name - Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata.
- The Rothschild giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi) lives in Uganda. The probability of its complete disappearance is quite high. All individuals of this subspecies are concentrated in Uganda and Kenya.
- Masai giraffe. Judging by the name, its habitat corresponds to the areas inhabited by the Masai tribe. In Latin it is called Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi.
- The giraffe Thornycroft was named after Rhodesian official Harry Thornycroft. This subspecies is sometimes referred to as the Rhodesian giraffe. The name Giraffa camelopardalis thornicrofti was assigned to the subspecies.
- The Angolan giraffe lives in Namibia and Botswana. It is called Giraffa camelopardalis angolensis.
- The South African giraffe lives in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. It bears the system name Giraffa camelopardalis giraffa.
Pictured reticulated giraffe
The division into subspecies is well-established and is still used today. But the situation may change in the near future. For many years, there have been scientific disputes associated with too great a difference in the representatives of subspecies. Factual material has been added to the scientific controversy.
Scientists from the Goethe University in Germany analyzed the DNA of the collected samples. And instead of one species, which we called a giraffe, four appeared. They all have the common name "giraffe", but the Latin names are different. Instead of one Giraffa camelopardalis, the following appear on the scene:
- northern giraffe(Giraffa camelopardalis),
- southern giraffe (Giraffa giraffa),
- Massai giraffe (Giraffa tippelskirchi),
- reticulated giraffe (Giraffa reticulata).
Four subspecies have been promoted to species status. The rest remained subspecies. The introduction of a new classification, in addition to purely scientific significance, has a practical application. Now individuals belonging to one species are included in four different ones. The quantitative composition of the species is reduced by at least four times. Which gives reason to intensify the struggle for the preservation of the species.
Lifestyle and habitat
Giraffes love an area covered with thickets of acacia, African mimosa, apricot tree, and any other shrub. Small herds of giraffes can be found in these areas. 10-20 animals in a community.
The backbone of the group is made up of females. Males can move from herd to herd or lead a bachelor, independent lifestyle. More complex social relationships have been recorded recently. It turned out that giraffes interact not only within the community, but also with other herd formations located at a distance of one or more kilometers.
Groups can move in concert, unite for a while into larger herds, then break up again.
At the watering hole, giraffes assume the most vulnerable position.
All day a herd of giraffes wanders in search of food. Giraffes rest at night. They sit on the ground in a reclining position, bow their head to their hind leg. After spending one to two hours on the ground, the giraffes get up and take a short walk. A change in body position and warm-up are necessary for the normal functioning of massive internal organs.
Animals fall asleep in this position.
They are practically silent animals. But the social way of being requires the exchange of information. Close observation reveals that there are sounds after all. Males make sounds similar to coughing.
Mothers call the calves with a roar. The young, in turn, hums, bleats, snorts. Infrasound is used for long-distance communication.
Nutrition
Giraffes are artiodactyl herbivores. The basis of their diet is low-nutrient vegetation. Any greenery, flowers and leaves, located at a height of one and a half to more than two meters, are used. They have few competitors in this food niche.
Like all herbivores, giraffes are food themselves. Almost nothing threatens an adult healthy animal. Babies and sick individuals have many enemies. These are large felines, hyenas, wild dogs.
Usually the herd way of life and the propensity to protect their fellow tribesmen help out. One blow from this giant's hoof can incapacitate any predator.
Reproduction and life expectancy
Giraffes are polygamous, do not form stable pairs. The male recognizes the readiness of the female by smell and immediately tries to start mating. The male proves his right to reproduce by engaging in single combat with rivals.
The main attack means are head strikes. But, despite the power of the blows, there are no fatalities.
Pregnancy of the female lasts 400-460 days. She gives birth to one calf, occasionally twins are born. The growth of a foal reaches 1.7-2 meters. After a few hours, he can already run and becomes a full member of the herd.
The giraffe is successfully kept and reproduced in captivity. As the most interesting zoo animal, giraffe always attracts the attention of the public. It still arouses no less interest among zoologists. When kept in captivity, he (giraffe) lives up to 20-27 years. In the African savannah, his life is twice as short.
The giraffe is a mammal from the artiodactyl order. The giraffe is the tallest animal on the planet. The giraffe is an intelligent and peaceful animal that has been familiar to us since childhood. In this article you will find a photo and description of a giraffe, as well as learn a lot of interesting things about this unique and wonderful animal.
Description of a giraffe or what does a giraffe look like?
The description of a giraffe can begin with its height first. The giraffe looks very tall. After all, the giraffe is the record holder in the animal world for growth and is one of the largest animals. The growth of a giraffe reaches a height of 6 meters. Moreover, the weight of the giraffe is 1 ton. The growth of the giraffe in males is greater than that of females. In addition, females weigh a little less.
The growth of a giraffe is 1/3 its neck, which is unusually long and slender. The giraffe's neck has 7 cervical vertebrae. Many other mammals have the same number of vertebrae, even with short necks, but the giraffe's vertebrae are just elongated. The neck of a giraffe is unusually strong, as it has strong muscles that allow you to hold the head and maneuver perfectly.
Since giraffes are tall and have a long neck, their circulatory system works with increased stress. Therefore, giraffes have a very strong heart. The heart of a giraffe weighs 12 kg and passes 60 liters of blood per minute, creating a pressure 3 times higher than that of a human.
But even such a strong heart of a giraffe cannot endure the overload if the animal will abruptly lower and raise its head. Nature made sure that such loads did not have sad consequences and made the giraffe's blood thicker. In addition, there are 2 times more blood cells in it than in humans. The giraffe also has special valves that help keep the pressure in the main artery at the same level.
The giraffe looks unusual not only because of its height. The strong body of the giraffe is covered with short hair. The color of the giraffe's coat adds to the look of the giraffe. The coat pattern of each giraffe is formed by a unique pattern of dark spots that stand out against the background of a light shade of the base color. Such a pattern is absolutely unique, like a human fingerprint. Underneath, the body of the giraffe is lighter in color and has no spots. In young individuals, the color is lighter than in older ones.
The giraffe looks funny, because its head with small ears has two horns covered with wool. Horns are present in both sexes. In females, the horns are thinner and have tassels. In males, they are thicker, and the coat is smoother. Occasionally, giraffes have two pairs of horns. On the forehead, giraffes often have a convex bony outgrowth that looks like a horn. The giraffe looks charming, because its huge black eyes have thick eyelashes. The giraffe has a thin long tail, with a black tassel at the end and a small short mane on the neck.
Giraffes have good eyesight, hearing and smell, such abilities help them notice danger in time. And of course, the large growth of giraffes allows you to have a good view of the area. Giraffes can see each other up to a kilometer away. The giraffe's tongue is dark in color, often tinged with purple. The giraffe's tongue is 45 cm long and helps the animal to grasp the branches. The long neck of the giraffe allows it to reach the highest crowns.
The legs of the giraffe are strong and high, while the front legs are longer than the hind legs. Giraffes run fast. If necessary, the speed of a giraffe at a gallop can reach 55 km / h. Thus, an animal giraffe can overtake a racehorse for short periods. But most often giraffes move slowly, rearranging first two right hooves, then both left ones. With this walking, the speed of the giraffe is up to 7 km / h.
Since the giraffe has a lot of weight and thin legs, it moves only on a hard surface. Therefore, the animal giraffe avoids swampy areas. Rivers for giraffes are almost insurmountable. It is noteworthy that these huge animals can jump over barriers up to 180 cm high.
Currently, there are 4 types of giraffes and 9 subspecies. All of them differ in wool pattern and color of spots. The giraffe species are divided into: southern giraffes, Masai giraffes, reticulated giraffes, and northern giraffes.
Modern subspecies of giraffe include: Nubian giraffe, West African giraffe, Kordofan giraffe, Reticulated giraffe, Ugandan or Rothschild giraffe, Masai giraffe, Thornycroft giraffe, Angolan giraffe, and South African giraffe.
Where do giraffes live and how?
Giraffes live in Africa, inhabiting arid parts of it. Today giraffes live south and southeast of the Sahara. Giraffes live in savannas and woodlands, primarily in eastern and southern Africa.
In the 20th century, the number of giraffes declined significantly due to uncontrolled hunting, various diseases and the destruction of natural habitats. Today, the largest number of giraffes lives in the protected areas of national parks. Giraffes are one of the few animals that do well in captivity and regularly breed.
Giraffes live practically without sleep, among all mammals they have the least need for this. The giraffe sleeps no more than 2 hours a day on average. But sometimes it is enough for them to take a nap for 10 minutes. Surely everyone wondered how giraffes sleep? They're so tall. Giraffes sleep both standing and lying down. In a prone position, the sleeping giraffe flexes its neck, bends its legs, and rests its head on its croup.
Giraffes live in small herds or singly. There is no strict attachment in the herds. Everyone can freely leave the herd or also freely move to another. The size of the herd varies depending on the season and can range from 4 to 32 individuals. A herd of giraffes can consist of both individuals of different sexes and of the same sex. In search of food, an animal giraffe can walk up to 100 km². Quite often you can see giraffes, which move along with herds of antelopes or zebras. This way they are safer.
The hierarchy and social behavior of giraffes in a herd is not yet fully understood. Although giraffes do not have a main leader, older and strong males have an advantage over others. Also in herds where there are only females, the oldest female takes the lead. When two adult males meet, skirmishes often occur between them. In a duel, they try to head each other in the neck. Despite this, defeated males are not expelled from the herd, unlike other social animals, such as wolves.
The mating season is also often accompanied by fights between males, but at this time they become much more aggressive. Opponents can sort things out by the tree, with each trying to press the opponent to the trunk and stab his head in the neck. Fortunately, giraffes do not use their main weapon against each other - dangerous blows with their front hooves. At least, such cases were not observed. By striking their hooves, they usually defend themselves from predators. The winner of the defeated male does not pursue.
Giraffes are mistakenly thought to be voiceless animals. They just communicate with each other at low frequencies that are indistinguishable to human hearing. However, giraffes still make sounds that we can hear. They can snort, whistle and roar, thus notifying their relatives in case of danger, as well as when looking for lost cubs.
What do giraffes eat?
The giraffe is a herbivore. Therefore, giraffes eat exclusively plant foods. Due to the structure of the body and physiology, giraffes eat the foliage of tree crowns located at a considerable height, where there is no competition. Giraffes eat the acacia tree, giving the greatest preference to this tree.
The giraffe grabs the branch with its long tongue and pulls it up to its mouth to nibble the leaves, while pulling its head back. Acacia has thorny branches, but the tongue and lips of the giraffe are designed in such a way that they allow them to eat without damage.
The giraffe eats up to 30 kg of food per day, spending most of the time at the meal. In times of famine, 7 kg of food is enough for a giraffe. Curiously, the sex of an animal can be determined from a distance by the way giraffes eat. Male giraffes predominantly eat very high-growing leaves, while they strongly stretch their necks and throw their heads back. Female giraffes eat leaves that grow at the level of their bodies, so they usually lower their necks a little.
An animal giraffe can go without water even longer than a camel. After all, food fully covers his need for fluid. However, if the giraffe has the opportunity to drink, then at a time he can drink up to 38 liters of water. To drink water, the giraffe must spread its front legs wide and lower its head low enough. This position makes the giraffe clumsy and vulnerable to predators, so giraffes drink only when they are confident in their safety. In the same position, giraffes nibble the grass in times of hunger.
Giraffes are polygamous animals. Females become capable of reproduction at the age of 3-4 years, but for the first time they produce offspring by 5 years. In males, the breeding period begins at the age of 4-5 years. Young males find it difficult to compete with older males. Therefore, young animals can acquire offspring only by the age of 7 years.
The mating season for giraffes is from July to September. The gestation period for a giraffe is 14-15 months. Usually only one baby giraffe is born. Giraffes give birth standing, in connection with which the baby giraffe at birth falls from a height of about 2 meters. You should not worry, the baby giraffe does not receive any injuries when falling.
The born baby giraffe is 180 cm tall and weighs 50 kg. An hour after birth, the cub is on its feet, and after a few more hours it can run. Giraffe cubs are allowed into the general herd only after a few weeks, at the same time they begin to nibble the grass. But the baby giraffe will feed on mother's milk almost up to 1 year.
Giraffes have a nursery where females send their young. In this way, mothers can wean from their young to find food and water. Watching a group of calves takes place between mothers in turn.
Cubs of giraffe are born without horns, but at the place of their appearance there is a tuft of dark hair, under which there is cartilage. As they grow older, the cartilage hardens, turning into horns that begin to grow. Tufts of black wool at the base of the horns remain with the young for several years, after which they disappear.
Giraffe cubs grow quickly, they are mobile and very active. Until about 1.5 years of age, the baby giraffe stays with its mother. Then he begins an independent life. Males usually leave their native herd, but females almost always remain in it. In the wild, giraffes live for about 25 years, and in captivity up to 35 years.
Due to its considerable size, the animal giraffe has practically no natural enemies. Giraffes defend themselves from predators by striking their front hooves. Such a blow is capable of breaking the skull of any predator, although there are cases of the victory of predators over giraffes.
Few predators are willing to take risks, so attacks on adults are rare. Predators most often attack young animals. Despite the protection of the mother, up to 50% of young giraffes become prey to lions, leopards, hyenas and hyena dogs.
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Giraffa camelopardalis Linnaeus,
- Angolan giraffe ( G. c. angolensis)
- Somali giraffe ( G. c. camelopardalis)
- Ugandan giraffe ( G. c. rothschildi)
- Masai giraffe ( G. c. tippelskirchi)
- Reticulated giraffe ( G. c. reticulata)
- South African giraffe ( G. c. giraffae)
| Taxonomy on Wikisource |
Images at Wikimedia Commons |
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Female giraffe with her baby
Giraffes live alone or in small herds that are not particularly attached to each other. The terrain that they go around in search of food can be up to 100 km². Social behavior depends on gender: females adhere to herds of 4 to 32 individuals, in which the composition changes from time to time. The hierarchical structures and behavior of giraffes in a herd are not yet fully understood. Young males also form small separate groups before reaching puberty, after which they begin to live alone. Often, giraffes move along with herds of antelopes or zebras, as this gives them greater safety. When two adult males meet, it often comes to a ritual duel, in which they stand next to each other and try to hit their head on the opponent's neck. During mating periods, fights between males are more aggressive and can reach such desperation that one of the competitors may end up being "beaten" to the point of losing consciousness. A variant of the showdown can be a duel by the tree, in which everyone seeks to bypass the opponent so as to press him to the trunk. There have been no cases in which giraffes used their dangerous front hooves against each other, as they usually do against predators.
It is widely believed that giraffes are voiceless animals. However, in reality, they communicate with each other at frequencies below 20 Hz, indistinguishable by the human ear.
The mating season usually lasts from July to September, and the gestation period is 14-15 months. As a rule, only one cub is born. The birth takes place in a standing position, so the first thing newborns have to do is fall from a height of two meters. Immediately after birth, the giraffe reaches 1.8 m in height and 50 kg. Already an hour later, the cub is firmly on its feet and after a few hours begins to run. However, cubs are allowed into the herd only after two to three weeks. For about a year and a half, the offspring remain with the mother. At the age of four, the giraffe reaches puberty, at the age of six it reaches full growth. In the wild, the lifespan is about 25 years, in captivity it is about 35.
Due to its size, the giraffe has few natural enemies, and from those few predators that dare to attack it, it rather effectively defends itself by striking its front hooves. Such a blow is capable of crushing the skull of any predator. In the Etosha nature reserve, it was once observed how lions jumped on a giraffe and bit its neck. However, attacks on adult giraffes are rare. Young animals are more common prey for lions, leopards, hyenas and hyena dogs. Despite the protection of the mother, only 25-50% of young giraffes reach adulthood.
Giraffe and man
The North African populations were already hunted by the Greeks and Romans in ancient times. Sometimes giraffes were even used for shows at the Colosseum. In general, the giraffe was little known in Europe. Although the constellation Giraffe exists in the northern hemisphere, it is a relatively new convention and has no mythological origin. In black Africa, giraffes were hunted by digging holes and traps. Their long sinews were used for bowstrings and strings of musical instruments; clothing made from the skin of a giraffe served as a symbol of high status among many peoples. Giraffe's meat is tough but edible. African tribes' hunt for giraffes has never reached a scale that could seriously jeopardize their numbers. With the arrival of white settlers, entertainment became the main motive for hunting giraffes, and the number of giraffes began to decline sharply. Today giraffes are rare animals almost everywhere. Only in the states of East Africa do numerous populations still exist. The total number of giraffes is estimated at 110,000-150,000. There are about 13 thousand individuals in the Serengeti Reserve. In general, giraffes are not considered critically endangered. Today they are kept in many large zoos in the world and successfully breed in captivity.
Subspecies
Reticulated giraffes
Based on the pattern and place of origin, giraffes are divided into subspecies. Crosses are possible between individual subspecies. There are nine modern subspecies:
- Nubian giraffe (G. c. Camelopardalis), eastern Sudan, western Ethiopia
- Giraffa camelopardalis peralta Thomas, 1898 - West African giraffe, formerly all of West Africa, today only in Chad
- Kordofan giraffe (G. c. Antiquorum), western Sudan, Central African Republic
- Reticulated giraffe (G. c. Reticulata), northern Kenya, southern Somalia
- Ugandan giraffe (G. c. Rothschildi), Uganda
- Masai giraffe (G. c. Tippelskirchi), southern Kenya, Tanzania
- Giraffe Thornicrofti (G. c. Thornicrofti), Zambia
- Angolan giraffe (G. c. Angolensis), Namibia, Botswana
- South African giraffe (G. c. Giraffa), South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique
The Ugandan giraffe has brown, large, irregular patches separated by wide white stripes. The spots of the Maasai giraffe are smaller and darker, and approximately five-pointed. The spots of the reticulated giraffe are unique, being dark and polygonal. There are narrow white stripes between them, giving the impression of a grid. Some of the subspecies are endangered: in particular, the first three have become extremely rare. The Angolan giraffe was exterminated in Angola, the country after which it was named.
Initially, giraffe subspecies were considered independent species. Then this point of view was rejected, and scientists were arguing about the delineation of individual subspecies. There are often differences in pattern even within closely related herds. Therefore, some researchers were of the opinion that the traits of the giraffe subspecies are not hereditary (and, therefore, there are no true geographic subspecies). In addition to the above subspecies, in North Africa in ancient times there were some subspecies, which are no longer there today. Since some ancient Egyptian images show giraffes without spots, there are suggestions that the North African subspecies were uniformly colored and did not have patterns. There are, however, also depictions of spotted giraffes that question these assumptions.
In 2007, an article was published where, on the basis of molecular data (study of mitochondrial DNA and microsatellite sequences of nuclear DNA), the existence of at least six species of giraffes was proved, almost completely reproductively isolated in nature (Giraffa peralta, G. rothschildii, G. reticulata, G tippelskirchi, G. giraffa, G. angolensis). This is the first described case of such a strong genetic differentiation among closely related species of large mammals in the absence of serious geographical barriers.
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