Giraffe - Fun Facts

Giraffe - Fun Facts

Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Suborder: Ruminantia
Family: Giraffidae 
Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata.

1. “Giraffe” comes from the Arab word xirapha (zee-RAF-ah), which means “the one that walks very fast”.

2. A group of giraffes is called a herd.  Adult females are called cows.  Males are known as bulls.  A young giraffe is called a calf.

3. The largest male giraffe on record was over 19 feet tall.

4. Giraffes have very keen vision.  Field observations have shown that they appear to be able to recognize herd mates at a distance of over one half mile.  They also seem to have some color vision and are able to distinguish orange, red, green, yellow-green, blue, and violet as separate colors.

5. Galloping giraffes can reach speeds of 35 miles per hour.

6. Giraffes are ruminants (cud chewers) and have a 4-chambered stomach like that of a cow.

7. Each giraffe has its own unique spot pattern that can be used to distinguish one individual from another, much like a human fingerprint.

8. Giraffes are one of the world's tallest mammals. They are well known for their long necks, long legs, and spotted patterns.

9. Giraffes have small "horns" or knobs on top of their heads that grow to be about five inches long. These knobs are used to protect the head in fights.

10. Male giraffes are larger than females. Males weigh between 2,400 and 3,000 pounds and stand up to 19feet tall. Female giraffes weigh between 1,600 and 2,600 pounds and grow to be 16 feet tall.

11. Healthy giraffes live about 25 years in the wild.

12. Their long necks help giraffes eat leaves from tall trees, typically acacia trees. If they need to, giraffes can go for several days without water. Instead of drinking, giraffes stay hydrated by the moisture from leaves.

13. Giraffes have spots covering their entire bodies, except their underbellies, with each giraffe having a unique pattern of spots.

14. Giraffes have long necks, which they use to browse the leaves of trees. Like nearly all mammals, a giraffe has seven neck vertebrae, which are extremely elongated.These bones produce bud like horns called ossicorns.

15. They also have slightly elongated forelegs, about 10% longer than their hind legs.

16. Modifications to the giraffe's structure have evolved, particularly to the circulatory system. A giraffe's heart, which can weigh up to 10 kg (24 lb), has to generate around double the normal blood pressure for a large mammal in order to maintain blood flow to the brain against gravity. In the upper neck, a complex pressure regulation system called the rete mirabile prevents excess blood flow to the brain when the giraffe lowers its head to drink. Conversely, the blood vessels in the lower legs are under great pressure (because of the weight of fluid pressing down on them). In other animals such pressure would force the blood out through the capillary walls; giraffes, however, have a very tight sheath of thick skin over their lower limbs which maintains high extravascular pressure in exactly the same way as a pilot's g suit.

17. Male giraffes determine female fertility by tasting the female's urine to detect estrus in a multi step process known as the Flehmen response. Giraffe gestation lasts between 14 and 15 months, after which a single calf is born. The mother gives birth standing up and the embryonic sack actually bursts when the baby falls to the ground. Newborn giraffes are about 1.8 meters tall. Within a few hours of being born, calves can run around and are indistinguishable from a week old calf; however, for the first two weeks, they spend most of their time lying down, guarded by the mother. While adult giraffes are too large to be attacked by most predators, the young can fall prey to lions, leopards, hyenas, and African Wild Dogs.

18. The giraffe browses on the twigs of trees, preferring plants of the Mimosa genus; but it appears that it can, without inconvenience, live on other vegetable food. A giraffe can eat 63 kg (140 lb) of leaves and twigs daily.

19. The pace of the giraffe is an amble, though when pursued it can run extremely fast. It cannot sustain a lengthened chase. Its leg length compels an unusual gait with the left legs moving together followed by right (similar to pacing) at low speed, and the back legs crossing outside the front at high speed.

20. The giraffe defends itself against threats by kicking with great force. A single well placed kick of an adult giraffe can shatter a lion's skull or break its spine.

21. The giraffe has one of the shortest sleep requirements of any mammal, which is between 20 minutes and two hours in a 24 hour period.

22. A giraffe will clean off any bugs that appear on its face with its extremely long tongue (about 18 inches). The tongue is tough on account of the giraffe's diet, which includes thorns from the tree it is making a meal of. In Southern Africa, giraffes are partial to all acacias — especially Acacia erioloba and possess a specially adapted tongue and lips that appear to be immune to the vicious thorns. 

23. Giraffes are thought to be mute. However, recent research has shown evidence that the animal communicates at an infrasound level.

24. Giraffes are hunted for their meat, coat and tails. The tail is prized for good luck bracelets, fly whisks and string for sewing beads. The coat is used for shield coverings. Habitat destruction and fragmentation are also threats to giraffe populations.

25. If giraffes want to  drink they have to spread their legs apart  in order to get down to the water with their long necks.