Giraffe

Giraffe

Giraffes dwell on the African savannah south of the Sahara Desert. They are generally found in wooded grassland areas. The word "giraffe" comes from the Arab word xirapha (zee-RAF-ah), which means "the one that walks very fast." The Egyptians and Greeks believed that these creatures were a mixture of camel and leopard, and so called them "camelopards." The giraffe's hide, with its unique pattern of dark brown spots upon a tan background, provides it with excellent camouflage against the savannah plain. An individual giraffe's markings are as unique as a fingerprint.

With its distinctive long neck, the giraffe is the tallest animal in the world. Giraffes feed on the leaves at the top of trees, and their long supple necks and 18-inch tongues enable them to reach up high to graze on the tender new growth. These animals enjoy munching on a wide variety of foliage. One of the giraffe's primary sources of food is acacia trees, so a plentiful supply of these is particularly important. Giraffes often get hungry and so must eat frequently, consuming about 75 pounds of leaves in a day. If necessary, they can go without water for weeks, as they derive much of the moisture they need from their diet. In captivity, giraffes typically eat alfalfa, hay, and dry food.

In the wild, giraffes gather in herds that can range in size from two to fifty individuals. A typical herd might consist of one bull with females and young. Herds are very loosely structured; in fact, giraffes rarely cluster closely together unless they happen to be munching on the same tree or are nervous because of the presence of lions.

The giraffe's extreme height, coupled with its keen eyesight, allows this animal to spy predators from a great distance. Adult giraffes are generally too big to fall prey to the predators of Africa, although they are vulnerable to lions when lying down or drinking. Even so, the adult giraffe is risky prey; a well-placed kick can be lethal. Calves are frequently preyed upon by lions, hyenas, leopards, and African wild dogs. A mother will defend her calf by standing over it and lashing out at attackers with her front or hind feet.

Although generally quiet creatures, giraffes are not mute. Calves will bleat and make a mewing call, cows will bellow to their calves, and bulls may make coughing sounds during the rutting season. When upset, giraffes may grunt or snort. Unhappy giraffes will also run or gallop about, and lower their heads into an almost horizontal position. An alarmed giraffe will stretch its head to its highest position. An angry or nervous individual will affect the other giraffes in its herd. Giraffe calves enjoy playing and will race around their mothers or gambol with other calves. Giraffes tend to reproduce infrequently in captivity.