GIRAFFE
(Giraffa camelopardalis)
- the tallest of modern animals. A mammal of the artiodactyl order, common in sub-Saharan Africa, where the species usually inhabits savannas with rare standing trees and bushes.
Dimensions. The giraffe is the fourth largest land animal; The only animals larger than the giraffe are the elephant, hippopotamus and rhinoceros. The largest males reach a height of 5.9 m to the crown and 3.7 m at the withers with a weight of approx. 2 t (averages are approximately 5.2 m, 3 m and approx. 1 t). Females are on average smaller: approximately 4.4 m to the crown, 2.7 m at the withers and weighing 600 kg. The giraffe's tail, approximately 1 m long, ends in a brush of black hair.
Coat. The giraffe's skin is densely covered with small and large spots from brown to almost black, which are separated by narrow yellowish or whitish spaces. The shape of the spots is irregular, with smooth or jagged edges, but on the body of each individual individual, as a rule, they are of the same type. A stiff dark brown mane about 12 cm high grows on the neck.
Neck skeleton. Although the giraffe's neck is over 1.5 m in length, there are only seven cervical vertebrae, like most other mammals, including humans. However, each cervical vertebra is greatly elongated; in addition, the first thoracic (next to the cervical) vertebra is also modified and very similar to the cervical one.
Blood pressure. In order for blood from the heart to flow up to the brain, a high level of blood pressure. When an animal's head is raised, this pressure at the level of the brain is the same as in others large mammals. However, when lowering the head, the pressure in it could dangerously increase if the giraffe's brain were not protected by special vascular formations. There are two of them, and both are located at the base of the skull: here arterial pressure
is extinguished in the “wonderful network” (rete mirabile) of thin intertwining vessels, and the valves in the veins allow blood to pass only in one direction (to the heart), preventing its reverse outflow to the brain. Horns.
Males and females have a pair of short, blunt horns covered with skin on the top of their heads. In males they are more massive and longer - up to 23 cm. Sometimes there is a third horn, on the forehead, approximately between the eyes; in males it is more common and more developed. Two bony outgrowths in the upper part of the back of the head, to which the neck muscles and ligaments are attached, can also grow greatly, resembling the shape of horns, which are called posterior, or occipital. In some individuals, usually old males, both three true horns and two posterior ones are well developed; they are called "five-horned" giraffes. Sometimes in old males other bony outgrowths are observed on the skull. Gaits.
Giraffes have two main gaits: walk and gallop. In the first case, the animal moves at an amble, i.e. alternately bringing forward two legs, first on one side, then on the other side of the body. The gallop looks awkward; the hind and front legs cross, but the speed reaches 56 km/h. During a gallop, the giraffe's neck and head swing strongly, making a figure eight, and the tail either swings from side to side, or is raised high and curled over the back. The giraffe has sharper vision than any other African mammal, with the possible exception of the cheetah. In addition, the enormous height allows one to notice objects at a very great distance. Food and water.
Giraffes are ruminants, like cows. They have a four-chambered stomach, and their jaws constantly chew cud—partially chewed food that is regurgitated from the first chamber of the stomach for secondary chewing. The giraffe's diet consists almost entirely of young shoots of trees and shrubs. Apparently, it prefers thorny acacias, but often also feeds on mimosas, wild apricots and some shrubs, and, if necessary, can also eat freshly grown grass. Giraffes can survive without water for many weeks, possibly months. Giraffes are diurnal animals, most active in the early morning and evening. They wait out the peak of the daytime heat, either standing with their neck or head down on a tree branch, or lying down, usually raising their neck and head to watch for danger. Giraffes sleep at night, but only for a few minutes at a time; The total duration of deep sleep apparently does not exceed 20 minutes per night. A sleeping giraffe lies with its neck bent so that its head rests on the lower part of its hind limb.
Social behavior and territoriality. Typically, giraffes live alone (especially old males) or in small loosely formed groups of two to ten animals, less often in larger herds numbering up to 70 individuals. Herds can be mixed (males, females, young animals), bachelor (only young or only mature males) or consist of females and young animals. Giraffe vocalizations are typical of large herbivores, ranging from snorting and mooing to grunts and roars. Not counting migration routes, the area of an individual giraffe's home range, i.e. The area in which it regularly grazes varies from approximately 23 to 163 km2 depending on the terrain.
Fights. Giraffes are extremely peaceful and even timid animals, but males fight among themselves for leadership, and animals of both sexes engage in fights with predators if they cannot escape from them. Within each population, the relationships of adult males are hierarchical. Hierarchy is maintained through fighting or threatening postures, such as lowering the neck to an almost horizontal position, as if the animal is preparing to butt an opponent. When fighting, two or more males stand side by side, facing the same or opposite sides, and swing their necks like giant hammers, trying to hit each other. The fight is often ritualized and does not cause harm to the participants, but sometimes, especially if several males are competing for a female ready to mate, it can end in a real knockout. In a fight with a predator, the giraffe either slashes downwards with its front legs or kicks with its hind legs. The giraffe's hooves are very large - the diameter of the front ones reaches 23 cm. It is known that giraffes even killed attacking lions with a blow of their hooves.
Enemies. The only serious enemy of adult giraffes (apart from humans) is the lion. Most often, he attacks when the giraffe is lying or standing, awkwardly bent, drinking water or nibbling grass. Young giraffes are also preyed upon by other predators, such as leopards and hyenas. Human for a long time he killed giraffes for meat, tendons (for making bow strings, ropes and strings of musical instruments), tail tassels (for bracelets, fly swatters and threads) and skin (from which they made shields, drums, whips, sandals, etc.). Uncontrolled hunting has become one of the main reasons for the decline in both the numbers and distribution of these animals.
Reproduction. Giraffes breed all year round, but tend to mate most intensively during the rainy season, such as March. Pregnancy lasts 15 months (457 days), and therefore greatest number Cubs are born during the dry season, i.e. approximately from May to August. Females typically give birth to one calf approximately every 20-23 months for approximately 15 years. During childbirth, the mother bends her hind legs; When a calf falls from a height to the ground, the umbilical cord breaks. Newborn, height approx. 2 m to the top of the head and weighing approx. 55 kg, is able to stand up within an hour, and often within 10 minutes after birth. He suckles milk up to 13 months, but begins to pluck leaves already at two weeks of age. Usually the calf remains with its mother for another 2-5 months after the end of feeding. The mortality rate of young animals is high - up to 68% of calves die in the first year of life. Female giraffes reach sexual maturity at 3.5 years of age and reach maximum size at 5 years of age; males mature by 4.5 years and are fully grown by seven. In nature average duration life is 6 years, and the maximum is approx. 26. The record for longevity in captivity is 36 years.
Classification and evolutionary history. Giraffe and okapi ( Okapia johnstoni) - the only ones modern representatives giraffe family (Giraffidae). It appeared in Central Asia in the early or middle Miocene, i.e. approximately 15 million years ago, and spread from there to Europe and Africa. The oldest remains of a modern giraffe were found in Israel and Africa and date back to the early Pleistocene, i.e. their age is approx. 1.5 million years. The range of the modern giraffe has greatly decreased as a result of human hunting and anthropogenic change environment. The species was found in northern Africa (in Morocco) 1,400 years ago, and in many areas in the west and south of the continent it was exterminated only in the last century. There are usually nine geographical races, or subspecies, distributed from Mali in the west to Somalia in the east and South Africa in the south.
Collier's Encyclopedia. - Open Society. 2000 .
Synonyms:See what "GIRAFFE" is in other dictionaries:
giraffe- a, m. GIRAFFE s, f. girafe f. 1. Giraffe (giraffe), a two-hoofed animal... with a low back and an incongruously long neck. Dahl. We can show up in cities like giraffes or sieges: it was no joke to see four Russian writers. 19. 4. 1828. P. A.... ... Historical Dictionary of Gallicisms of the Russian Language
Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis), a mammal of the family. Giraffidae The body is short, the neck is very long (but there are 7 cervical vertebrae, like most mammals), body height up to 5.5 m, weight up to 1000 kg (males are larger than females). Sharp fluctuations in blood... Biological encyclopedic dictionary
Giraffe, cameleopard, okapi Dictionary of Russian synonyms. giraffe noun, number of synonyms: 8 animal (277) giraffe ... Synonym dictionary- GIRAFFE, giraffe, male, and GIRAFFE, giraffe, female. (French girafe) (zool.). A ruminant animal with a very long neck and very long legs, with sandy yellow fur, found in tropical Africa. Dictionary Ushakova. D.N. Ushakov. 1935… … Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary
GIRAFFE, huh, husband. and GIRAFFE, s, female. An African artiodactyl ruminant with a very long neck and long legs. Giraffe family. | adj. giraffe, oh, oh. Ozhegov's explanatory dictionary. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 … Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary
Husband. giraffe, a Camelopardalis two-hoofed animal, with a low rear and an incongruously long neck. Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary. IN AND. Dahl. 1863 1866 … Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary
- “GIRAFFE”, Russia, IBS (Nizhny Tagil), 1995, b/w, 34 min. Novella. Based on the short stories by Wolfgang Borchert. Cast: Andrey Andreev (see Andrey ANDREEV), Konstantin Mikhailov, Alexandra Kulikova, Alexey Demidov. Director: Viktor Malyshev. Author… … Encyclopedia of Cinema
1. GIRAFFE, a; m.; (obsolete) GIRAFFE, s; and. [French girafe] A large ruminant mammal of the artiodactyl order with a very long neck and long legs and spotted skin. ◊ Until whom l. it comes like a giraffe. Razg. reduction Who l. Very… … encyclopedic Dictionary
March 3rd, 2013
GIRAFFE (Giraffa cameleopardalis) This animal is found throughout almost all of sub-Saharan Africa. The appearance of the giraffe is so unique that it cannot be confused with any other animal: a relatively small head on a disproportionately long neck, a sloping back, long legs. The giraffe is the tallest living mammal: its height from the ground to the forehead reaches 4.8-5.8 m. The weight of an adult male is about 750 kg, females are somewhat lighter.
The giraffe's eyes are black, fringed with thick eyelashes, and its ears are short and narrow. On both males and females on the forehead small horns. The horns are covered with wool, sometimes there is only one pair, but sometimes there are two. In addition, there is often a special bony outgrowth in the middle of the forehead, reminiscent of an additional (unpaired) horn. The coloration of the giraffe varies greatly, and in the past zoologists even distinguished several types of giraffes on this basis. Differently colored giraffes can interbreed. In addition, even in the same place, in the same herd, significant individual color deviations occur. They say that it is generally impossible to find two completely identically colored giraffes: the spotted pattern is unique, like a fingerprint. Therefore, color variations can only be taken, with a certain stretch, as subspecies.
The most famous is the so-called Massai giraffe, which inhabits the savannas. East Africa. The main background of its color is yellowish-red; chocolate-brown colors are scattered randomly across this background. irregular shape spots. Another type of coloration is the reticulated giraffe, which is found in wooded areas Somalia and Northern Kenya. In the reticulated giraffe, the polygon-shaped spots almost merge with the background yellow It consists of only sparse stripes, as if a golden net had been draped over the animal. These are the most beautiful giraffes.
Young animals are always lighter in color than older ones. White giraffes are extremely rare. They have dark eyes, and they cannot be called albinos (in the strict sense of the word). Such animals are found in various parts Africa - in Garamba National Park (Congo), in Kenya, in Northern Tanzania. The seemingly overly bright variegated coloring of giraffes actually perfectly camouflages the animals. When several giraffes stand in a group of umbrella acacias, among the burnt-out bushes of the African bush, under the sheer rays of the sun, the mosaic of shadows and sunspots seems to dissolve and eat up the contours of the animals. At first, you suddenly notice with surprise that one of the trunks is not a trunk at all, but the neck of a giraffe. Behind it, as on a developing photographic plate, suddenly appears a second, third, fourth.
Savannas and sparse dry forests - favorite places giraffe habitats. Here animals find abundant food in the form of young shoots and buds of umbrella acacias, mimosa and other trees. With the help of its long tongue, the giraffe can tear leaves even from branches densely covered with large spines. Giraffes rarely eat grassy vegetation: in order to graze, the animal has to spread its front legs wide apart or even go down on its knees. Giraffes are forced to take the same uncomfortable position at a watering hole. True, this does not happen often, since giraffes satisfy their need for water mainly through succulent food and go without water for several weeks. Giraffes rarely live alone. They usually form small herds (7-12 individuals), although sometimes up to 50-70 animals gather.
Only old males are alienated from their fellow tribesmen. Often a group of giraffes unites with antelopes, zebras, and ostriches, but this connection is short-lived and unstable. Within the herd of giraffes, a hierarchy of subordination is strictly observed, as is well known for many other herd animals. The outward expression of such a hierarchy is that the lowest in rank cannot cross the path of the highest. The latter, in turn, holds his neck and head higher, while the lower in rank always lowers his neck somewhat in his presence. However, giraffes are peace-loving animals, and rivalry among them almost never manifests itself in the form of a fight. Well, if there is still a need to find out the seniority in the herd, a kind of duel takes place between the largest males. It begins with a challenge: the applicant for the highest rank goes towards the enemy with an arched neck and lowered head, threatening him with his horns. These, in general, harmless horns, together with a heavy head, constitute the giraffe’s main weapon in the fight for primacy. If the opponent does not retreat and accepts the challenge, the animals stand shoulder to shoulder almost closely and exchange blows with the head and neck.
Giraffes never use it against their fellow tribesmen heavy weapons- a kick with the front leg that has exceptional power. Sometimes wrestling giraffes move slowly around the tree, trying to pin each other to the trunk. The duel can last up to a quarter of an hour and arouses keen interest of the entire herd. But it is enough for someone who admits himself to be defeated to take a few steps to the side, and the winner’s aggressive mood changes: he never expels his opponent from the herd, as happens with horses, antelopes and other herd animals. At first glance, outwardly awkward, giraffes are in fact perfectly adapted to life in the savannah: they see far and hear perfectly. Interestingly, no one has ever heard the voices of giraffes. Giraffes usually move at a pace, like pacers (first both right legs are in motion at the same time, then both left legs, etc.). Only in cases of extreme necessity do giraffes switch to an awkward, seemingly slow gallop, but they do not maintain this gait for long, no more than 2-3 minutes.
The gallop of giraffes is very peculiar: the animal can simultaneously lift both front legs off the ground, only by throwing its neck and head far back and thus shifting its center of gravity. Therefore, a galloping giraffe constantly nods deeply, bows, as it were, with each jump. This seemingly clumsy manner of galloping does not prevent him from reaching speeds of up to 50 km/h. Giraffes can also jump. They demonstrate such abilities by jumping over barbed wire fences that border plantations and sheep pastures in Africa. To the surprise of farmers, the animals have learned to overcome barriers up to 1.85 m high. Approaching the fence, the giraffe throws its neck back, throws its front legs over it, and then jumps with its hind legs, only slightly touching the top row of wire. And here's to electrical wires they never got used to it and often cause a short circuit, dying in the process.
Water obstacles seem to create great difficulties for giraffes, although the zoologist Sheriner once saw three giraffes swimming across the Nile branch in South Sudan: only their heads and necks, two-thirds submerged, were visible from the water. Giraffes are diurnal animals. They usually feed in the morning and in the afternoon, and spend the hottest hours half asleep, standing in the shade of acacia trees. At this time, giraffes chew cud, their eyes are half-closed, but their ears are in constant movement. Giraffes get real sleep at night. Then they lie down on the ground, tucking their front legs and one of their hind legs under them, and place their head on the other hind leg, extended to the side. The long neck turns out to be curved back like an arch. This sleep is often interrupted, the animals get up, then lie down again.
The total duration of complete deep sleep in adult animals is amazingly small: it does not exceed 20 minutes throughout the night! The rutting period for giraffes begins in July and lasts about two months. Pregnancy lasts 420-450 days, and a newborn giraffe weighs up to 70 kg with a height of 1.7-2 m. During childbirth, the female does not lie down on the ground; the herd surrounds her in a tight ring, protecting her from possible danger, and then welcomes the new member with gentle touches of their noses. Natural enemies giraffes have a little. Of the predators, only lions attack them, and even then relatively rarely. A pride of lions easily copes with even a large male giraffe and then feasts on the prey for several days. But the giraffe successfully defends itself against a solitary predator by striking its front legs. Usually the lion jumps on the back of the giraffe and bites its cervical vertebrae. There is a known case when a lion missed while jumping and was met with a powerful blow from its hooves to the chest. Observer (employee of one of the national parks), seeing that the lion did not rise after falling, came closer and, after waiting more than an hour, shot the crippled beast.
The lion's chest was crushed and almost all of its ribs were broken. Sometimes giraffes die while feeding, getting their heads entangled in tree branches. Sometimes childbirth takes a tragic turn. But the main enemy of giraffes was, and still is, man. True, in our time little is hunted for giraffes. The first white settlers exterminated giraffes en masse for the sake of their skins, from which they made leather for the top of Boer carts, belts and whips. Africans make shields from skins, strings for musical instruments from sinew, and bracelets from tail tassels (like ivory hair bracelets). Giraffe meat is edible. Vigorous pursuit by humans has led to the fact that giraffes are now preserved in large quantities only in national parks and reserves. Giraffes have been kept in zoos for a long time. Even the Egyptians (around 1500 BC) and the Romans (during the time of Caesar) kept giraffes in menageries and bestiaries. The first giraffes appeared in London, Paris and Berlin in the 20s of the 19th century, and they were transported on sailing ships and walked across Europe. Giraffes are now kept in almost all major zoos in the world and reproduce well in captivity. The lifespan of these animals is more than 20 years (the record is 28 years).
Their diet consists of hay, apples, radishes, onions, carrots, and occasionally bananas. In summer, giraffes add fresh branches of deciduous trees to this, and in winter - sprouted oats and brooms harvested from the summer. For a long time, the giraffe represented a mystery to physiologists. Indeed, when feeding in the treetops, the giraffe’s head is at a height of almost 7 m. Blood must be transported from the heart to the brain to the same height. The pressure created by the heart required for this is 300 mmHg. Art. If a giraffe lowers its head and then suddenly raises it, a sharp pressure drop will be created in the brain, and blood from the jugular vein will overload the heart. You can’t approach such overloads with human standards! The answer to the question was found by zoologist Gaetz from Cape Town. A giraffe's blood is thicker than other mammals. Compared to humans, giraffes have twice the amount of red blood cells.
The giraffe's heart passes about 60 liters (!) of blood per minute. Using an electrical sensor inserted into the giraffe's cervical artery to the very base of the brain, Goetz found that when the head is raised, blood pressure is 200 mmHg, and when it is sharply lowered, contrary to logic, it drops to only 175 mmHg. Art. The solution to the mystery lay in special locking valves in the great jugular vein. These valves can interrupt the flow of blood so that the pressure in the main artery remains elevated even though the pressure in other, smaller arteries (also with valves) drops sharply. The powerful jugular vein acts as a blood depot, equalizing pressure in the brain.
This is how giraffes escape from predators.
Well, it's a joke, a joke...
The giraffe and okapi (Okapia johnstoni) are the only living members of the giraffe family (Giraffidae). It appeared in Central Asia in the early or middle Miocene, i.e. approximately 15 million years ago, and spread from there to Europe and Africa. The oldest remains of a modern giraffe were found in Israel and Africa and date back to the early Pleistocene, i.e. their age is approx. 1.5 million years. The range of the modern giraffe has greatly decreased as a result of human hunting and anthropogenic changes in the environment. The species was found in northern Africa (in Morocco) 1,400 years ago, and in many areas in the west and south of the continent it was exterminated only in the last century. There are usually nine geographical races, or subspecies, distributed from Mali in the west to Somalia in the east and South Africa in the south.
interesting facts about giraffes:
* The giraffe has 7 cervical vertebrae, like other mammals (only they are much larger). Moreover, the animal’s neck weighs 250 kg.
* An adult giraffe weighs 1-2 tons, females are on average two times lighter.
* Male giraffes often sort things out with the help of arm wrestling, but not with their hands, but with their necks.
* Man revered these animals with ancient times. Images of giraffes have been found in ancient African settlements and on Egyptian art.
* Blood vessels, located in the giraffe's neck, are extremely elastic and resilient. This is “done” so that the giraffe can tilt its head to the ground, for example, to drink water, and not lose consciousness from deteriorating blood supply.
* There are several types of giraffes: Kordofanian, Angolan, southern, Nigerian, Masai and others.
* In the first 3-5 months of life, baby giraffes gather in packs called nurseries to play together. Meanwhile, their mothers are grazing nearby.
* A giraffe's tongue is about 45 cm long.
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* Giraffes live in the African savanna and in acacia thickets in the south of the Sahara Desert.
* The giraffe is one of the few animals that uses primarily its front legs when running.
* A giraffe's heart weighs more than 10 kg.
* The giraffe's stride is more than 4 meters. When he walks calmly, you will have to run to keep up.
* Giraffes have a relative - an animal called okapi. It has a much shorter neck, it is found in the forests of the Congo and is not a herd animal, but an independent one.
* Newborn giraffe calves begin their lives by falling from a height of 2 meters
* Despite the fact that most of the time giraffes do not make sounds, their cubs moo and bleat, males growl during fights, it is also noticed that they sometimes snore, moan, hiss and make sounds similar to the sounds of a flute.
* Herds of giraffes do not have a clear organization and hierarchy. They can contain animals of both sexes and all ages, and access to outsiders is open.
* Males and females eat leaves from different parts tree to avoid fighting for food.
* A giraffe lives on average 20-25 years.
* Scientific name giraffe camelopardalis. It comes from the Latin cameleopard (camel+leopard). This name is in Ancient Rome They were given it because the animals were large, like a camel, and with spots like a leopard. In addition, they can go without water for a long time, like camels.
* Baby giraffes already have horns at birth.
* A giraffe's sleep time is no more than 10 minutes, and it spends almost its entire life standing.
* A giraffe can run at speeds of up to 50 km/h.
* The spots on a giraffe's skin are as unique as human fingerprints.
* A female giraffe carries her baby for 14 months.
* In one sitting, a giraffe can drink up to 6 buckets of water.
* Giraffe is the tallest animal in the world.
* These animals have good eyesight, which, combined with their high growth, allows them to see far. Giraffes can be located at distances of up to a kilometer and still belong to the same herd.
* Giraffa means "fast walker" in the Aboriginal language.
And this giraffe just came from McDonald's:
One of the first giraffes in a zoo appeared in France in 1826. He covered the 860 kilometers from Marseille to Paris in 41 days, accompanied by a detachment of mounted gendarmes. In Paris, the animal caused a sensation. From July to December 1827, 600 thousand people came to the zoo to see the giraffe. Hairstyles “a la giraffe” and a lot of all sorts of items with giraffe symbols appeared. Even the piano, invented in 1819, was renamed the giraffiano. But this name did not stick. In Russia, the first giraffe was demonstrated in 1878 in St. Petersburg. We are now home to the world's most famous family of giraffes.
Its ancestors, Boy and Juliet, who came to Leningrad from Southern Rhodesia, lived 29 and 29.5 years, setting a record for the life expectancy of giraffes. This couple gave birth to 13 cubs - this is also a record. Then their daughters began to bear offspring. In total, 34 giraffes were born in our zoo. By the way, giraffes carry their babies for a very long time - as much as fourteen months. But they are also born large. The average height of our giraffes is 1m 61cm, and their weight is 50-60 kg. And this is at birth.
We try to give the giraffes “Leningrad” names. We lived with Neva, Ladoga, Okhta, Onega, Aurora, St. Petersburg, and Oreshek. There was one female with strange name- Element. She now lives in Kyiv, and got her name because she was born on the night of a very heavy flood in the fall of 1975.
And our giraffe Ida has been living in the Kaliningrad Zoo since the fall of 1996. She is named after the head of the ungulate sector of our zoo, Ida Dmitrievna Rozhdestvenskaya, who worked for us for about 40 years and took in almost all the giraffes that were born.
And of course, the Giraffe is one of the symbols of Africa. Remember the silhouettes against the background of the setting sun...
Do you believe that it can be , No? Check..
The original article is on the website InfoGlaz.rf Link to the article from which this copy was made -
Early history giraffes is associated with the evolution of the entire giraffe family. Having split off from other deer-like artiodactyls in the Miocene, the ancestors of modern giraffes lived throughout Europe, Asia and Africa several million years ago. The Early Neogene was a period of prosperity for giraffidae, when they reached both greatest variety species and greatest geographical distribution. Many species were already distinguished by their large size and powerful body structure (especially the genus Helladotherium). Due to climate change in the Pleistocene, most giraffidae became extinct, leaving only two modern looking: giraffe and okapi. Both species also had short necks, but over time, giraffes began to elongate their necks, being an advantageous advantage in searching for food.
According to Namibian zoologist Rob Siemens, long necks arose as a result of males fighting with their necks. A male with a longer neck was more likely to win and receive more attention from females, thereby producing more offspring.
Habitat
The giraffe lives in the savannas of sunny Africa; the giraffe does not live on other continents. Over the past 50 years, giraffe herds can often be found in the southern and south-eastern regions of the Sahara, as well as drier areas of uninhabited land. Due to the elongated body structure and low level water consumption, this animal can live in the open forests of Africa.
Description
Male giraffes reach a height of up to 5.5–6.1 m (about 1/3 of the length is the neck) and weigh up to 900–1200 kg. Females tend to be slightly smaller and lighter. Giraffes have an unusually long neck, despite the fact that they, like almost all other mammals, have only seven cervical vertebrae. High growth increases the load on the circulatory system, especially in relation to the supply to the brain. Therefore, giraffes have especially strong hearts. It passes 60 liters of blood per minute, weighs 12 kg and creates a pressure that is three times higher than that of a person.
However, it would not be able to withstand the overload of the sudden lowering and raising of the giraffe's head. To ensure that such movements do not cause the death of the animal, the giraffe's blood is thicker and has twice the density of blood cells than that of humans. In addition, the giraffe has special shut-off valves in the great jugular vein that interrupt the flow of blood so that pressure is maintained in the main artery supplying the brain. The giraffe's dark tongue is very long and muscular: the giraffe can protrude it up to 45 cm and is able to grab branches with it.
The pattern on the coat consists of dark spots that stand out from the more light shade basic coloring, and each giraffe has individual fingerprints, just like a person. The lower part of the giraffe's body is lighter and without spots. On the head of giraffes of both sexes there are two hair-covered horns (ossicones), thickened at the ends. Occasionally there are two pairs of horns. In the middle of the forehead there is often a peculiar bone growth, which can be mistaken for another unpaired horn. Black eyes are fringed with thick eyelashes, short ears. Giraffes have very good vision, hearing and smell, which allows them to notice danger in advance. Good review The area is, of course, helped by its great growth. Giraffes can see their tall relatives at a distance of up to a kilometer.
Giraffes can run fast and, in case of urgent need, reach a gallop speed of 55 km/h, that is, over short distances they can outrun a racehorse. However, as a rule, they walk slowly, moving both right hooves at the same time, then both left ones. Because of his heavy weight and thin legs, giraffes can only walk on hard surfaces. These animals avoid swampy areas, and rivers often present insurmountable obstacles for giraffes. It is also noteworthy that these seemingly bulky and clumsy animals can also jump, overcoming even barriers 1.85 m high.
Giraffe lifestyle
Giraffes live in small herds on large open areas African savannah, among lonely tall trees. There is a hierarchy in the herd. They are led by adult males. Giraffes are not aggressive animals. If conflicts arise between members, they are resolved by demonstration fights. Giraffes push their necks and try to butt the enemy with their horns. In case of defeat, the loser is not expelled from the herd.
Their high growth allows them to eat the tops. Giraffes have no competitors here. Like cows, they are ruminants. They feed in the morning and evening, and during the day they wait out the heat, hiding in the shade of tall trees. Standing motionless among the branches of a tree, the giraffe is almost invisible due to its spotted color. Favorite food is acacia. Giraffes are perfectly adapted to eating it. The animal's mouth is protected from thorns, and thick saliva allows them to be swallowed. They can also eat grass, but this is very inconvenient for them.
Because of large dimensions It is quite difficult for a giraffe to get up from the ground. Therefore, they rarely lie down and spend most of their time on their feet. They even sleep standing up, placing their head on their back or resting it on the branches of a tree. One more amazing feature The giraffe's need for sleep. These animals hardly sleep. Their average sleep duration is less than 2 hours per day.
Giraffes have only two enemies. This is a lion and a man. Lions attack in groups young or old animals. But the giraffe is not such an easy prey. He hears and sees well, so he notices hunters from afar. Thanks to their long legs, they run quite quickly. Developing speeds of up to 60 km/h, they can escape the pursuit of a lion. If a giraffe is surrounded by predators, it fights off with its hooves. With one blow of his powerful hoof he can kill or maim an adult lion. Therefore, lions try to jump on the giraffe’s back and knock him down. A giraffe knocked to the ground is easy prey for lions.
Leopards and hyenas are also very dangerous for giraffe cubs. Giraffes don't like water. They do not cross rivers and do not enter bodies of water at all. During the rainy season they hide under trees. They can go without water for a long time (several weeks), obtaining moisture from succulent leaves. Its ability to go without water for a long time rivals that of a camel. During periods of drought, the giraffe can feed on dry and thorny branches.
Nutrition
The giraffe is artiodactyl, exclusively herbivore. They are ruminants, just like cows, and chew their food several times because they have a four-chambered stomach. The main diet of the animal is leaves of trees and shrubs. Most of all, gourmets prefer acacia. Males choose the highest branches, while they stretch their necks even more and seem even more majestic.
Females do not strive to visually increase their height; they are content with the vegetation that is located at the level of their body. The animals immediately grab the entire branch with their tongue and pull it into their mouth, stripping off all the leaves. In order to feed themselves, giraffes eat up to 20 hours a day, because they need at least 30 kg.
The food they eat is so rich in juices that giraffes have very little need for water. For weeks, or even months, this large animal can go without drinking. When a giraffe drinks, it can drink about 40 liters at once.
There is no such amount of water at the top, so when drinking, the animal is forced to bend its neck very low and spread its front legs wide apart. This is the most uncomfortable and vulnerable position; it is in this position that the giraffe is clumsy and clumsy. Therefore, he starts drinking only in full confidence that there is no danger nearby. By the way, this is why giraffes do not like to nibble grass.
Reproduction and lifespan
The mating season and mating itself falls during the rainy season. But the birth itself most often occurs from May to August, that is, during the months of drought. The female giraffe's pregnancy lasts more than a year– 457 days, but the baby is born already about 2 meters tall. The female brings one cub, rarely, but twins can also be born.
Within 15 minutes after birth, the baby rises to its feet and begins to feed on mother's milk. At this time, they are completely defenseless, so they are forced to hide throughout the first week after birth.
Interestingly, after 3-4 weeks of birth, giraffes begin to separate from their calves, leaving them in the care of other adult females. The mother can go 200 meters from the herd and return only in the evening to feed the baby.
This continues until the cubs are able to accompany the mother. The babies grow up quickly, but will be with the female for 12-16 months. True, young males separate from their mother at 12-14 months of age.
They begin to live alone until they become strong, sexually mature males. And sexual maturity in males occurs at 4-5 years. However, giraffes begin to mate only after they are 7 years old.
Females, most often, remain in the herd. They become sexually mature at 3-4 years, however, they do not rush to become mothers for at least a year. These interesting animals live in the wild for up to 25 years. Even in captivity, in specially created conditions, under the supervision of veterinarians, the life expectancy of these beauties did not exceed a record 28 years.
Communication and perception
Giraffes rarely make sounds and are therefore considered quiet or even mute mammals. They communicate with their own kind using infrasound. Sometimes they can make sounds similar to grunting or whistling. When alarmed, a giraffe can snort or grunt, thereby warning neighboring giraffes of danger. Mothers whistle to their calves. In addition, females search for lost cubs using roars. Calves respond to their mothers by bleating or meowing. During courtship, males may make coughing sounds. The giraffe has good visibility due to its height. This allows the animals to maintain continuous visual contact even at great distances from the herd. Keen vision helps the giraffe see a predator from a distance in order to prepare for an attack.
Subspecies
Distribution by subspecies includes territorial location of these mammals and the pattern on the body. Today there are nine subspecies of giraffes.
Nubian giraffe
The Nubian giraffe (G. c. camelopardalis) lives in eastern South Sudan and southwestern Ethiopia. Giraffes of this subspecies have distinctive chestnut spots surrounded by mostly white lines. The bone growth on the forehead is more pronounced in males. There are believed to be around 250 giraffes left in the wild, although this figure has not been confirmed. Nubian giraffes are difficult to find in captivity, although a small group is located at the Al Ain Zoo in the United States. United Arab Emirates. In 2003, the group consisted of 14 individuals.
Reticulated giraffe
Reticulated giraffe (G. c. reticulata), also known as the Somali giraffe. Its homeland is northeastern Kenya, southern Ethiopia and Somalia. It has a distinctive pattern on its body, which consists of spiky, reddish-brown polygonal spots separated by a network of thin white lines. Spots may be located below hock joint, and the bone growth on the forehead is present only in males. It is estimated that there are a maximum of 5,000 individuals in the wild and about 450 in zoos.
Angolan giraffe
The Angolan giraffe or Namibian giraffe (G. c. angolensis) lives in northern Namibia, southwestern Zambia, Botswana and western Zimbabwe. Genetic research on this subspecies suggests that the desert population of northern Namibia and National Park The Etosha form a separate subspecies. It is characterized by large brown spots on the body with jagged or elongated corners. The patterns are distributed along the entire length of the legs, but are absent in the upper part of the face. The neck and rump have a small number of spots. The subspecies has white area skin in the ear area. According to recent estimates, a maximum of 20,000 animals remain in the wild and about 20 are in zoos.
Giraffe cordo fan
The Kordofan giraffe (G. c. antiquorum) is distributed in southern Chad, the Central African Republic, northern Cameroon and northeastern Democratic Republic Congo. The giraffe population of Cameroon was previously classified as a different subspecies - the West African one, but this was a mistaken opinion. Compared to Nubian giraffes, this subspecies has more uneven spotting. Their spots may be located below the hocks and on internal sides legs A bony growth on the forehead is present in males. About 3,000 individuals are thought to live in the wild. Considerable confusion exists regarding the status of this and the West African subspecies in zoos. In 2007, all supposed West African giraffes were in fact Kordofan giraffes. Taking into account these amendments, there are about 65 individuals of Kordofan giraffes in zoos.
Masai giraffe
The Masai giraffe (G. c. tippelskirchi), also known as the Kilimanjar giraffe, lives in central and southern parts Kenya and Tanzania. This subspecies has its distinctive, irregularly distributed, jagged, star-shaped spots that are found on the legs. Most often, a bone growth on the forehead is found in males. There are about 40,000 giraffes left in the wild, and about 100 giraffes are in zoos.
Rothschild's giraffe
The Rothschild's giraffe (G. c. rothschildi), named after Walter Rothschild, is also known as the Baringo giraffe or Ugandan giraffe. Its range includes parts of Uganda and Kenya. Giraffes of this subspecies have large dark spots that have smooth contours, but also have sharp edges. Dark spots may have lighter lines. The spots rarely extend below the hock and almost never reach the hooves. Fewer than 700 individuals remain in the wild and more than 450 Rothschild's giraffes live in zoos.
South African giraffe
The South African giraffe (G. c. giraffa) lives in the northern South Africa, in southern Botswana, southern Zimbabwe, and southwestern Mozambique. The subspecies is characterized by the presence of dark, slightly rounded spots on the reddish color of the skin. The spots spread down the legs and become smaller in size. There are approximately 12,000 South African giraffes in the wild and 45 in captivity.
Rhodesian giraffe
The Rhodesian giraffe (G. c. thornicrofti), also called Thornicroft's giraffe, after Harry Scott Thornicroft restricted the Luangwa Valley in eastern Zambia. Has jagged spots and some in the shape of a star, and which sometimes spread to the legs. The bony growth on the forehead of males is underdeveloped. No more than 1,500 individuals remain in the wild.
West African giraffe
The West African giraffe (G. c. peralta), also known as the Niger or Niger subspecies, is endemic to the southwestern part of the Niger Republic. Giraffes of this subspecies have a lighter coat compared to other subspecies. The spots on the body are lobate-shaped and extend below the hock. Males have a well-developed bony growth on the forehead.
This subspecies has smallest number population, fewer than 220 individuals remain in the wild. Cameroon giraffes were previously classified as this subspecies, but in fact, they were Kordofan giraffes. This error led to some confusion in the population estimates of the subspecies, but in 2007 it was determined that all West African giraffes found in European zoos are in fact Kordofan subspecies giraffes.
Giraffe and man
North African populations were already hunted in ancient times by the Greeks and Romans. Sometimes giraffes were even used for displays in 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 tendons were used to string bows and strings of musical instruments; clothing made from giraffe skin served as a symbol among many peoples. high status. Giraffe meat is tough, but edible. The hunting of giraffes by African tribes has never reached a scale that could seriously threaten their numbers. With the arrival of white settlers, the main motive for hunting giraffes became entertainment, and the number of giraffes began to decline sharply.
Today, giraffes are rare animals almost everywhere. Only in the states of East Africa do large populations still exist. The total number of giraffes is estimated at one hundred ten to one hundred fifty thousand individuals. There are about thirteen thousand individuals in the Serengeti Nature Reserve. In general, giraffes are not considered a critically endangered species. Today they are kept in many large zoos around the world and successfully breed in captivity.
Interesting facts about giraffes
o a mammal of the giraffe genus of the giraffidae family, the tallest existing animal; body length 3-4 m, height at withers up to 3.7 m, height 5-6 m, weight 550-750 kg. The giraffe has a relatively small head on a disproportionately long neck, a sloping back, long legs and a tongue (up to 40-45 cm). The giraffe has only seven cervical vertebrae, like other mammals. Both males and females have small horns (sometimes two pairs) covered with black hair. There is often an additional unpaired horn in the middle of the forehead. There is no gall bladder, the cecum is very long. The forelimbs are longer than the hind limbs, the second and fifth fingers are absent. The hooves are low and wide. The fur is dense and short. The spotted coloration of giraffes from different places varies greatly. A pale yellow or brown background with dark spots is possible. Young animals are always lighter in color than older ones. At the end of the tail there is a tuft of long hair.
The most famous subspecies is the Masai giraffe, which has chocolate-brown irregular spots scattered across a yellowish background. A very beautiful subspecies of the reticulated giraffe, whose body is as if covered with a golden net. Albino giraffes are occasionally found. Exotic coloring helps the animal camouflage among trees.
Giraffes have the highest blood pressure of any mammal (three times that of humans). Compared to humans, his blood is thicker and contains twice as many blood cells. The giraffe’s heart weighs 7-8 kg and is capable of pumping blood (up to 60 liters of blood circulates in the giraffe’s body) to the brain to a height of 3.5 m. To drink water, the giraffe has to spread its front legs wide and lower its head low. At high level blood pressure in this position, bleeding in the brain does not occur only because in the jugular vein near the brain the giraffe has a closing valve system that restricts blood flow to the head.
The giraffe lives in the savannas and dry woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa. It leads a diurnal lifestyle, is capable of moving at speeds of up to 50 km/h, and can also jump over obstacles and swim well. The giraffe rarely lives alone, usually forms small herds (7-12 individuals), less often up to 50-70. The composition of the herd is so random that it rarely includes the same animals two days in a row. Old males live separately. Sometimes fights for primacy occur between males, but they are never fierce. Giraffes sometimes even form common herds with antelopes and ostriches.
Its high growth allows the giraffe to feed on leaves, flowers, and young shoots of trees from the upper tier of vegetation. A giraffe can rear up and get food from a height of up to 7 m. It feeds in the morning and in the afternoon, spending the hottest hours half asleep, chewing cud. The animal feeds mainly on young shoots and buds of umbrella acacias, mimosa, and other trees and shrubs. Long tongue A giraffe can pluck leaves from branches covered with large thorns. It is inconvenient for a giraffe to get ground plants; to do this, he needs to kneel.
There is a strict hierarchy within the giraffe herd. A lower rank cannot cross the path of a higher one; he always lowers his neck somewhat in his presence. Giraffes are peace-loving animals. Only when standing social status, it is possible to clarify the relationship. Male giraffes show each other their horns and then exchange blows to the body and neck. A duel is always bloodless. The terrible blow with the front hooves, with which a giraffe can successfully repel a lion’s attack, is not used during a duel. The defeated one is never expelled from the herd, as is the case with other herd animals. The giraffe has sensitive hearing and sharp eyesight. He moves while simultaneously extending his legs, located on one side of his body. An alarmed animal goes into a gallop at a speed of up to 60 km/h, can jump over obstacles and swim. To sleep, the giraffe lies on the ground, tucking its front legs and one of its hind legs under itself. The head is placed on the other hind leg, extended to the side. Night sleep often interrupted, the duration of complete deep sleep is 20 minutes per night.
Giraffes' rut occurs in July-August; males often fight for the female. The gestation period for giraffes is about 15 months. One calf is born, about 2 m tall, which is able to stand on its feet almost immediately after birth. During childbirth, members of the herd surround the expectant mother with a ring, protecting her from possible danger, and then greet the newborn by touching their noses. Lactation lasts 10 months. A giraffe becomes sexually mature at the age of three. The giraffe has few natural enemies. Occasionally he becomes a victim of a lion, and sometimes dies while feeding, getting his head entangled in the branches. In a number of places, the giraffe was completely exterminated as a result of hunting for meat and skin and was preserved mainly in national parks.
Giraffes were kept in zoos by the ancient Egyptians 1500 BC, considering them to be the offspring of camels and leopards. The name camel oleopard (camelopardalis) has been retained as the scientific name of the species. The first giraffes appeared in European zoos at the beginning of the 20th century. They were transported across the sea on sailing ships, and across Europe on foot. Currently, giraffes are kept in every major zoo, and they reproduce well in captivity. The lifespan of giraffes is 20-30 years.
The giraffe is the fourth largest land animal; The only animals larger than the giraffe are the elephant, hippopotamus and rhinoceros. The largest males reach a height of 5.9 m to the crown and 3.7 m at the withers with a weight of approx. 2 t (averages are approximately 5.2 m, 3 m and approx. 1 t). Females are on average smaller: approximately 4.4 m to the crown, 2.7 m at the withers and weighing 600 kg. The giraffe's tail, approximately 1 m long, ends in a brush of black hair.
Coat.
The giraffe's skin is densely covered with small and large spots from brown to almost black, which are separated by narrow yellowish or whitish spaces. The shape of the spots is irregular, with smooth or jagged edges, but on the body of each individual individual, as a rule, they are of the same type. A stiff dark brown mane about 12 cm high grows on the neck.
Neck skeleton.
Although the giraffe's neck is over 1.5 m in length, there are only seven cervical vertebrae, like most other mammals, including humans. However, each cervical vertebra is greatly elongated; in addition, the first thoracic (next to the cervical) vertebra is also modified and very similar to the cervical one.
Blood pressure.
High blood pressure is required to keep blood from the heart moving up to the brain. When the animal's head is raised, this pressure at the level of the brain is the same as that of other large mammals. However, when lowering the head, the pressure in it could dangerously increase if the giraffe's brain were not protected by special vascular formations. There are two of them, and both are located at the base of the skull: here blood pressure is damped in a “wonderful network” (rete mirabile) of thin intertwining vessels, and valves in the veins allow blood to flow only in one direction (to the heart), preventing it from flowing back to the brain.
Horns.
Males and females have a pair of short, blunt horns covered with skin on the top of their heads. In males they are more massive and longer - up to 23 cm. Sometimes there is a third horn, on the forehead, approximately between the eyes; in males it is more common and more developed. Two bony outgrowths in the upper part of the back of the head, to which the neck muscles and ligaments are attached, can also grow greatly, resembling the shape of horns, which are called posterior, or occipital. In some individuals, usually old males, both three true horns and two posterior ones are well developed; they are called "five-horned" giraffes. Sometimes in old males other bony outgrowths are observed on the skull.
Gaits.
Giraffes have two main gaits: walk and gallop. In the first case, the animal moves at an amble, i.e. alternately bringing forward two legs, first on one side, then on the other side of the body. The gallop looks awkward; the hind and front legs cross, but the speed reaches 56 km/h. During a gallop, the giraffe's neck and head swing strongly, making a figure eight, and the tail either swings from side to side, or is raised high and curled over the back.
Vision
the giraffe is more acute than any other African mammal, perhaps with the exception of the cheetah. In addition, the enormous height allows one to notice objects at a very great distance.
Food and water.
Giraffes are ruminants, like cows. They have a four-chambered stomach, and their jaws constantly chew cud—partially chewed food that is regurgitated from the first chamber of the stomach for secondary chewing. The giraffe's diet consists almost entirely of young shoots of trees and shrubs. Apparently, it prefers thorny acacias, but often also feeds on mimosas, wild apricots and some shrubs, and, if necessary, can also eat freshly grown grass.
Giraffes can survive without water for many weeks, possibly months.
Activity.
Giraffes are diurnal animals, most active in the early morning and evening. They wait out the peak of the daytime heat, either standing with their neck or head down on a tree branch, or lying down, usually raising their neck and head to watch for danger. Giraffes sleep at night, but only for a few minutes at a time; The total duration of deep sleep apparently does not exceed 20 minutes per night. A sleeping giraffe lies with its neck bent so that its head rests on the lower part of its hind limb.
Social behavior and territoriality.
Typically, giraffes live alone (especially old males) or in small loosely formed groups of two to ten animals, less often in larger herds numbering up to 70 individuals. Herds can be mixed (males, females, young animals), bachelor (only young or only mature males) or consist of females and young animals. Giraffe vocalizations are typical of large herbivores, ranging from snorting and mooing to grunts and roars.
Fights.
Giraffes are extremely peaceful and even timid animals, but males fight among themselves for leadership, and animals of both sexes engage in fights with predators if they cannot escape from them.
Within each population, the relationships of adult males are hierarchical. Hierarchy is maintained through fighting or threatening postures, such as lowering the neck to an almost horizontal position, as if the animal is preparing to butt an opponent. When fighting, two or more males stand side by side, facing the same or opposite directions, and swing their necks like giant hammers, trying to hit each other. The fight is often ritualized and does not cause harm to the participants, but sometimes, especially if several males are competing for a female ready to mate, it can end in a real knockout.
In a fight with a predator, the giraffe either slashes downwards with its front legs or kicks with its hind legs. The giraffe's hooves are very large - the diameter of the front ones reaches 23 cm. It is known that giraffes even killed attacking lions with a blow of their hooves.
Enemies.
The only serious enemy of adult giraffes (apart from humans) is the lion. Most often, he attacks when the giraffe is lying or standing, awkwardly bent, drinking water or nibbling grass. Young giraffes are also preyed upon by other predators, such as leopards and hyenas.
For a long time, people killed giraffes for meat, tendons (for making bow strings, ropes and strings of musical instruments), tail tassels (for bracelets, fly swatters and threads) and skin (for making shields, drums, whips, sandals, etc. .). Uncontrolled hunting has become one of the main reasons for the decline in both the numbers and distribution of these animals.
Reproduction.
Giraffes breed throughout the year, but tend to mate most intensively during the rainy season, such as March. Gestation lasts 15 months (457 days), and therefore the largest number of cubs are born during the dry season, i.e. approximately from May to August. Females typically give birth to one calf approximately every 20–23 months for approximately 15 years. During childbirth, the mother bends her hind legs; When a calf falls from a height to the ground, the umbilical cord breaks. Newborn, height approx. 2 m to the top of the head and weighing approx. 55 kg, is able to stand up within an hour, and often within 10 minutes after birth. He suckles milk up to 13 months, but begins to pluck leaves already at two weeks of age. Typically, the calf remains with its mother for another 2–5 months after the end of feeding. The mortality rate of young animals is high - up to 68% of calves die in the first year of life.
Female giraffes reach sexual maturity at 3.5 years of age and reach maximum size at 5 years of age; males mature by 4.5 years and are fully grown by seven. In nature, the average life expectancy is 6 years, and the maximum is approx. 26. The record for longevity in captivity is 36 years.
Classification and evolutionary history.
Giraffe and okapi ( Okapia johnstoni) are the only modern representatives of the giraffe family (Giraffidae). It appeared in Central Asia in the early or middle Miocene, i.e. approximately 15 million years ago, and spread from there to Europe and Africa. The oldest remains of a modern giraffe were found in Israel and Africa and date back to the early Pleistocene, i.e. their age is approx. 1.5 million years.
The range of the modern giraffe has greatly decreased as a result of human hunting and anthropogenic changes in the environment. The species was found in northern Africa (in Morocco) 1,400 years ago, and in many areas in the west and south of the continent it was exterminated only in the last century. There are usually nine geographical races, or subspecies, distributed from Mali in the west to Somalia in the east and South Africa in the south.
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