Giraffe (Meaning and Explanation)

We explain everything about giraffes, where they live, their diet and other characteristics. Also, their reproduction and how long they live.

What is a giraffe?

The giraffe It is a species of quadruped mammals of African origin, recognizable by its mottled fur and long neck capable of reaching 2 meters between the torso and the head. Scientific name Giraffa camelopardalisit is a very iconic animal of the African fauna and also the tallest animal known on the entire planet, since can reach between 5 and 6 meters in height total in his adult stage.

The name giraffe comes from Arabic ziraafatranslatable as “tall”, and the Romans who knew her baptized her as camelopardalisthat is, a mixture of camel and leopard, undoubtedly due to the color of its fur. The first giraffe known in the West was brought to Europe by the Roman emperor Julius Caesar (100 – 44 BC), returning from his campaigns through Egypt and Asia Minor.

The evolutionary origin of these animals places them in the Miocene around eight million years ago, and together with the okapis they are the only non-extinct species of the giraffid family (Giraffidae).

Giraffes are beautiful and striking animals, which were already represented in ancient Egyptian tombs. Its preservation, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), constitutes a minor cause for concern, since giraffes continue to be abundant in free life or in captivity. Even so, the decrease of up to 40% in the total population of the species between 1895 and 2015 is alarming.

Giraffe characteristics

The giraffe is characterized by the following:

It is a large, quadruped animal whose weight varies between 600 and 1500 kg, and whose height can reach 6 meters. Its most recognizable features are its long neck, capable of extending for 2 meters, and its mottled, yellowish and brown fur.
The giraffes are great runners, capable of reaching speeds of around 50 kmph in short distances. They are social animals, which usually move at a slow pace through the African grasslands in groups of six.
have a prehensile tongue When extended it can reach 50 cm long, and is black-purple in color. With it the animal can catch the leaves of the trees that it reaches thanks to its height, or clean itself.
also have a tail that is one meter long which culminates in a lock of long, dark hair.
As they age, males of the species develop small cranial protuberances thanks to calcium deposits.
They have a very keen sense of smell and hearing and its eyes arranged one on each side of the head are capable of perceiving color. Furthermore, their nostrils, unlike us, can close at will.
The long neck of giraffes has a system of unusually elastic valves and blood vessels which allow you to move your head without fainting.

Where do giraffes live?

Giraffes are present in almost all zoos in the world, but Its traditional habitat is African grasslands or plains, and even open forests where they live in nomadic groups of around 20 individuals.

Its majority distribution is in sub-Saharan western Africa, southeastern Africa and the regions of Angola and South Africa. Traditionally, up to 9 subspecies of giraffe have been identified, distributed throughout this territory.

What do giraffes eat?

giraffe feeding what do they eat — Since it reaches the highest branches, the giraffe does not compete for food with other herbivores.

The giraffes They are ruminant herbivores, whose long necks allow them to reach the highest foliage of trees without incurring much competition with other herbivorous animals.

These leaves are not only rich in nutrients and calcium, but they nourish the giraffe more than other herbivores because it has a particularly efficient digestive system among ruminant mammals. Their favorite trees to eat are the acacia, and the plant families of the commiphora and the terminalia.

How do giraffes reproduce?

giraffe reproduction — A newborn giraffe measures around 1.80 meters.

Like all mammals, giraffes reproduce sexually and through viviparity. Males compete with each other for access to females and usually only the most dominant ones manage to reproduce, after having defeated the others in a neck fight, that is, through the “necking” typical of the species.

Giraffe gestation lasts more than a year at the end of which they give birth to a single offspring, which is ready to walk shortly after being born. A newborn giraffe measures around 1.80 meters and is usually breastfed by its mother for just a few months, at most a year.

How long do giraffes live?

In its wild habitat, A giraffe lives an average of 25 years since they are the usual prey of lions, Nile crocodiles and leopards. In captivity, however, they can live well beyond this limit.

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