When Can I Kill the Giraffe Ears Again

Geographic Range

Giraffa camelopardalis is native to Africa, mainly establish south of the Sahara to eastern Transvaal, Natal, and northern Republic of botswana. Giraffes have disappeared from nearly of western Africa, except a residual population in Niger. They take been reintroduced in Southward Africa to game reserves. ("Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia", 2003)

• ethiopian
  • native

Habitat

Giraffes inhabits arid, dry state. They seek out areas enriched with Acacia growth. Giraffes are found in savannas, grasslands, or open woodlands. Because they only occasionally drink, giraffes can be constitute abroad from a water source. Male giraffes can venture into denser wooded areas in search of more foliage. ("Walker's Mammals of the World", 1999)

• tropical
• terrestrial

• savanna or grassland
• scrub woods

Physical Description

Giraffa camelopardalis is the earth'south tallest mammal. Male giraffes (bulls) stand a total of 5.7 m from the ground to their horns: 3.iii m at the shoulders with a long cervix of 2.4 thousand. Female person giraffes (cows) are 0.seven to 1 m shorter than bulls. Bulls weigh up to 1,930 kg, while cows can weigh upwardly to 1,180 kg. At birth, giraffe calves are 2 m tall from the footing to the shoulders. Newborn giraffes weigh fifty to 55 kg.

Both male person and female person giraffes have a spotted coat. The pattern of the coat varies and is an aide for camouflage with the different habitats. The ix giraffe subspecies have diverse skin patterns. The patches on a giraffe coat can be small, medium, or large in size. Giraffe coats are abrupt-edged or fuzzy-edged; minor, medium, or large; or xanthous to black in colour. The skin pattern for an private giraffe is constant throughout the giraffe's life. With the changing of season and health, the coat color may exist altered. ("Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia", 2003)

Giraffa camelopardalis accept long, sturdy legs, with their forepart legs longer than their back legs. Giraffe necks contain seven elongated vertebrae. Giraffes have a steeply sloping back from the shoulders to the rump. Their tails are thin and long, measuring about 76 to 101 cm in length. A black tuft at the end of the tail whisks away flies and other flying insects. Giraffe horns, called ossicones, are bone protuberances covered with skin and fur. Female giraffe horns are thin and tufted; male person giraffe horns are thick but the pilus is smoothed by sparring. A medium-sized horn is common in both male person and females; while males can grow a second pair behind the start pair of horns. The eyes are very big and their 45 cm long black tongue grasps prickly food from the very tops of trees. (Burnie and Wilson, 2001)

• endothermic
• homoiothermic
• bilateral symmetry

• male larger
• ornamentation

• Range mass

  1180 to 1930 kg

  2599.12 to 4251.x lb

• Range length

  four.vii to v.7 m

  15.42 to eighteen.70 ft

Reproduction

Giraffes are polgynous. Bulls carefully baby-sit an estrous female from other male giraffes. Courtship starts when a balderdash approaches a cow to perform a urine test, smelling the urine with a pronounced lip ringlet, a behavior referred to equally flehmen. The bull will then keep to rub his head almost the rump of the female person and rest it on her dorsum. Male person giraffes lick the tail of the female and lift his foreleg. If receptive, the female giraffe will circle the male, hold her tail out, and take on a mating position, after which copulation occurs. ("Grzimek'south Brute Life Encyclopedia", 2003)

• polygynous

For Giraffa camelopardalis, formulation occurs in the rainy season, with birth occurring in the dry out months. Most giraffe births accept place from May to August. Female giraffes breed every xx to 30 months. The gestation period is about 457 days. Mother giraffes give birth standing upwardly or walking. The giraffe calf drops two yard to the ground. Almost often a unmarried calf is born; twins are uncommon only do occur. Newborn calves get to their anxiety and begin suckling fifteen minutes after nascence. The weaning menstruation for female calves is 12 to 16 months; the weaning menses for males is 12 to 14 months. The independence period varies between bulls and cows. Cows tend to stay within the herd. However, bulls tend to go solitary until they find or obtain their own herd and become the ascendant male person. Female giraffes achieve sexual maturity at 3 to 4 years of age but do not breed for at least another year. At historic period 4 to 5 years, male giraffe become sexually mature; withal, it is not until 7 years of age when they kickoff to breed. ("Encyclopedia of Mammals", 1997; "Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia", 2003)

• iteroparous
• seasonal breeding
• gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate)
• sexual
• fertilization
• viviparous

• Breeding interval

  Giraffes can requite birth every twenty to thirty months

• Convenance season

  Breeding occurs between May and August.

• Range number of offspring

  i (low)

• Average number of offspring

  1

  AnAge

• Range gestation period

  400 to 468 days

• Average gestation menstruation

  457 days

• Range weaning historic period

  12 to 16 months

• Boilerplate weaning historic period

  12 months

• Range time to independence

  1 to three years

• Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female person)

  3 to 4 years

• Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male)

  4 to 5 years

A giraffe dogie hides throughout much of the day and night of its beginning week, remaining on the ground. Female parent giraffes stay nearby, within 25 thousand, guarding their immature and feeding. At nighttime females return to their young to nurse them.

Later on 3 to four weeks, mother giraffes steer their young calves into crèche groups. The crèche group allows mother giraffes to wander farther away from the immature calf to feed or drink. The mother giraffes take turns watching over all the youngsters in the crèche grouping. Now the mother giraffe can drift as far as 200 m from her calf. Mothers still return before nightfall to suckle and protect their calf. ("Encyclopedia of Mammals", 1997; "Grzimek's Beast Life Encyclopedia", 2003)

• precocial
• pre-fertilization
  • provisioning
  • protecting
    • female person
• pre-hatching/birth
  • provisioning
    • female
  • protecting
    • female person
• pre-weaning/fledging
  • provisioning
    • female person
  • protecting
    • female

Lifespan/Longevity

Giraffa camelopardalis accept a life expectancy betwixt twenty to 27 years in zoos. Giraffes live for x to 15 years in the wild. ("Animal Fact Sheet", 2005; "Grzimek'due south Animal Life Encyclopedia", 2003)

• Range lifespan
  Status: wild

  25 (high) years

• Range lifespan
  Status: captivity

  27 (high) years

• Typical lifespan
  Status: wild

  ten to 15 years

• Typical lifespan
  Status: captivity

  twenty to 25 years

• Average lifespan
  Status: captivity

  25 years

Behavior

Giraffes are social animals, living in loose, open, unstable herds varying from x to 20 individuals, although herds of upwardly to 70 have been observed. Individual giraffes bring together and get out the herd at volition. Herds can include all female person, all male, female with young calves, or mixed genders and ages. Female giraffes are more social than male person giraffes. Isolated individuals can too be encountered in the wild. ("Grzimek's Animate being Life Encyclopedia", 2003; Sanderson, 1982)

Giraffes feed and drinkable during the morning and evening. Giraffes balance at nighttime while standing up. When resting, the caput lies on a hind leg, with the neck forming an impressive arch. Giraffes sleep standing upward but tin occasionally prevarication down. Giraffes that are resting lightly remain in a fully upright position, with one-half-airtight eyes, and ears continuing to twitch. During the hot midday, giraffes usually chews their cud. Cud-chewing can take place during any part of the day. ("Walker's Mammals of the World", 1999; Burnie and Wilson, 2001)

Developed male giraffes establish authority hierarchies past sparring. Sparring involves two individuals standing stiff-legged and parallel. The males march in step with one another with their necks horizontal and looking forwards. They rub and intertwine their necks and heads, so lean against each other to evaluate their opponent's strength. "Necking" occurs when two giraffes stand alongside each other and swing their heads at the other giraffe. They aim their horns at their opponent'southward rump, flanks, or neck. A difficult enough blow can knock down or injure an opponent. ("Grzimek's Beast Life Encyclopedia", 2003)

Giraffes are is a fast moving mammals, reading speeds from 32 to threescore km/h. They tin sprint for considerable distances. ("Walker'due south Mammals of the World", 1999; Duplaix and Simon, 1976)

• terricolous
• diurnal
• motile
• nomadic
• social
• dominance hierarchies

• Range territory size

  5 to 654 km^2

Home Range

Giraffes are not-territorial. Giraffe dwelling ranges vary from five to 654 km2, depending on food and water availability. ("Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia", 2003)

Communication and Perception

Giraffa camelopardalis are rarely heard and are usually considered silent mammals. Giraffes communicate with ane another by infrasonic sound. They do, at times, vocalize to one another by grunts or whistle-like cries. Some other advice sounds for giraffes are moaning, snoring, hissing, and flutelike sounds. When alarmed, a giraffe grunts or snorts to warn neighboring giraffes of the danger. Female parent giraffes can whistle to their immature calves. Also, cows search for their lost young by making bellowing calls. The calves render their mother'southward calls by bleating or mewing. While courting an estrous cow, male giraffes may cough raucously. ("Grzimek'southward Animal Life Encyclopedia", 2003; "Walker'southward Mammals of the World", 1999; Duplaix and Simon, 1976; Sanderson, 1982)

Giraffe vision relies mainly on their height. Their summit allows giraffes a continual visual contact while at great distances from their herd. The acute eyesight of giraffes tin spot predators at a distance and then they can prepare to defend themselves past boot. Individuals within a herd may scatter widely across the grassland in search of good food or drink, and simply cluster together at good food trees or if threatened. ("Grzimek's Animate being Life Encyclopedia", 2003)

• visual
• tactile
• acoustic
• chemic

• duets

• visual
• tactile
• acoustic
• chemical

Nutrient Habits

Giraffes feed on leaves, flowers, seed pods, and fruits. In areas where the savanna flooring is salty or full of minerals, they consume soil too. Giraffes are ruminants and have a four-chambered breadbasket. Chewing cud while traveling helps to maximize their feeding opportunities. ("Encyclopedia of Mammals", 1997; "Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia", 2003)

Giraffa camelopardalis have long tongues, narrow muzzles, and flexible upper lips to help obtain leaves from the tall trees they use for browsing. Giraffes use many tree species for browse, including: Acacia senegal, Mimosa pudica, Combretum micranthum, and Prunus armeniaca. Their main nutrient is the leaves from Acacia trees. Giraffes browse by taking the branches in their mouths and pulling away the head to tear abroad the leaves. Acacia trees have thorns but giraffe molars crush the thorns. Up to 66 kg of food for one day can be consumed by an adult, male giraffe. Still, in poor-quality areas, a giraffe can survive on seven kg of food per solar day. ("Grzimek's Beast Life Encyclopedia", 2003; "Walker's Mammals of the Earth", 1999; Sanderson, 1982)

Male person giraffes typically feed with their head and neck completely outstretched to the shoots. Their provender is from the underside of the high canopy. Female giraffes feed at body and knee joint height, feeding from the crown of lower trees or shrubs. Female giraffes are more selective when feeding. They choose leaf with highest nutritional value. ("Encyclopedia of Mammals", 1997)

• herbivore
  • folivore

• leaves
• forest, bawl, or stems
• seeds, grains, and basics
• fruit
• flowers

Predation

Lions (Panthera leo) are the main predators of giraffes; while leopards (Panthera pardus) and (hyenas Hyaena hyaena) accept likewise been known to prey on giraffes. Adult giraffes are well able to defend themselves. They remain vigilant and are capable of running speedily and delivering deadly blows with their forepart hooves. Crocodiles may likewise prey on giraffes when they come up to waterholes to drink. Most predators of giraffes target young, sick, or elderly giraffes. The blotchy colour of giraffe skin likewise helps to camouflage them while foraging in scrub forests. (Burnie and Wilson, 2001; Duplaix and Simon, 1976)

• ambiguous

• Known Predators

  • lions (Panthera leo)
  • leopards (Panthera pardus)
  • hyenas (Hyaena hyaena)

Ecosystem Roles

Giraffes are host to troublesome ticks. Oxpecker birds (Buphagus africanus) rests on the backs and necks of giraffes, removing the ticks from the giraffe skin. There is a mutually beneficial relationship between giraffes and oxpecker birds. ("Encyclopedia of Mammals", 1997)

Commensal/Parasitic Species

• ticks (Acari)

Economic Importance for Humans: Positive

In many zoos and wildlife parks, giraffes serve every bit an allure. Giraffes have been killed for their meat and hibernate. The thick skin has been made into buckets, reins, whips, straps for harnesses, and erstwhile for musical instruments. ("Encyclopedia of Mammals", 1997)

• food
• body parts are source of valuable textile

Economic Importance for Humans: Negative

There are no known adverse furnishings of giraffes on humans.

Conservation Status

Giraffa camelopardalis populations seem to exist stable throughout parts of their range and are threatened in other areas. Giraffes are hunted and poached for their skin, meat, and tail. Habitat destruction besides impacts giraffe populations. Giraffe populations remain common in east and southern Africa merely have drastically fallen in west Africa. In Niger, conservation of giraffes has been fabricated a priority. In other places where large mammals have disappeared, giraffes have survived. Their survival could be considering their height diminishes competition with domestic mammals. ("Encyclopedia of Mammals", 1997)

• IUCN Cherry-red List

  Least Concern
  More data

• IUCN Red List

  Least Concern
  More than information

• US Federal Listing

  No special status

• CITES

  No special status

Contributors

Tanya Dewey (editor), Animal Variety Spider web.

Sarah Maisano (author), Kalamazoo College, Ann Fraser (editor, instructor), Kalamazoo Higher.

Glossary

Ethiopian

living in sub-Saharan Africa (south of 30 degrees north) and Madagascar.

acoustic

uses sound to communicate

bilateral symmetry

having body symmetry such that the creature can exist divided in one plane into two mirror-image halves. Animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides, as well every bit inductive and posterior ends. Synapomorphy of the Bilateria.

chemical

uses smells or other chemicals to communicate

cryptic

having markings, coloration, shapes, or other features that cause an beast to be camouflaged in its natural environment; being difficult to see or otherwise find.

diurnal

1. active during the day, 2. lasting for ane twenty-four hours.

dominance hierarchies

ranking organisation or pecking order among members of a long-term social group, where authorisation condition affects admission to resource or mates

duets

to jointly display, usually with sounds in a highly coordinated mode, at the same fourth dimension as one other individual of the same species, often a mate

endothermic

animals that use metabolically generated rut to regulate trunk temperature independently of ambience temperature. Endothermy is a synapomorphy of the Mammalia, although it may accept arisen in a (now extinct) synapsid ancestor; the fossil tape does not distinguish these possibilities. Convergent in birds.

fertilization

union of egg and spermatozoan

folivore

an beast that mainly eats leaves.

food

A substance that provides both nutrients and energy to a living thing.

herbivore

An animal that eats mainly plants or parts of plants.

iteroparous

offspring are produced in more than one group (litters, clutches, etc.) and across multiple seasons (or other periods hospitable to reproduction). Iteroparous animals must, by definition, survive over multiple seasons (or periodic status changes).

motile

having the chapters to move from one place to some other.

native range

the expanse in which the animal is naturally plant, the region in which information technology is owned.

nomadic

generally wanders from identify to place, usually within a well-defined range.

polygynous

having more than one female as a mate at one time

scrub forest

scrub forests develop in areas that feel dry seasons.

seasonal breeding

convenance is confined to a detail season

sexual

reproduction that includes combining the genetic contribution of two individuals, a male and a female person

sexual ornamentation

one of the sexes (usually males) has special concrete structures used in courting the other sex or fighting the same sexual activity. For example: antlers, elongated tails, special spurs.

social

assembly with others of its species; forms social groups.

tactile

uses touch to communicate

terrestrial

Living on the ground.

tropical

the region of the world that surrounds the equator, from 23.5 degrees n to 23.v degrees south.

tropical savanna and grassland

A terrestrial biome. Savannas are grasslands with scattered individual copse that practice non form a closed canopy. Extensive savannas are found in parts of subtropical and tropical Africa and Southward America, and in Australia.

savanna

A grassland with scattered trees or scattered clumps of trees, a blazon of community intermediate between grassland and forest. See also Tropical savanna and grassland biome.

temperate grassland

A terrestrial biome constitute in temperate latitudes (>23.5° N or Due south latitude). Vegetation is fabricated upwards mostly of grasses, the summit and species diversity of which depend largely on the amount of moisture available. Burn and grazing are important in the long-term maintenance of grasslands.

visual

uses sight to communicate

viviparous

reproduction in which fertilization and development have place inside the female body and the developing embryo derives nourishment from the female person.

young precocial

young are relatively well-adult when born

References

2005. "Animal Fact Sheet" (On-line). Reticulated Giraffe. Accessed November 19, 2005 at http://www.zoo.org/brainwash/fact_sheets/savana/giraffe.htm.

1997. Encyclopedia of Mammals. Pp. 809-833 in A Chocolate-brown, et. al., eds. Browsing Giants, Vol. six. Tarrytown, New York: Marshall Cavendish Corp..

2003. Grzimek'due south Creature Life Encyclopedia. Pp. 399-408 in M Hutchins, D Kleiman, Five Geist, M McDade, eds. Okapis and giraffes, Vol. fifteen: 4, two Edition. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group.

1999. Walker's Mammals of the World. Pp. 1084-1089 in R Nowak, ed. Okapi and Giraffe, Vol. 2, 6 Edition. Baltimore, Maryland: The Johns Hopkins Academy Printing.

Burnie, D., D. Wilson. 2001. Smithsonian Institution Fauna: The Definitive Visual Guide to the World's Wild fauna. New York: DK Publishing, Inc..

Duplaix, N., North. Simon. 1976. World Guide to Mammals. New York: Crown Publishers, Inc..

Sanderson, I. 1982. The Audubon Society Encyclopedia of Animal Life. New York: Clarkson Due north. Potter, Inc..

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Source: https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Giraffa_camelopardalis/

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