What does a giraffe eat? Giraffe animal of Africa (lat.

Ecology

Basics:

Giraffes are the tallest land animals on the planet. Males reach a height of up to 5.5 meters, and females - 4.3 meters, while the cubs can be about 1.8 meters tall. Surprisingly, giraffe cubs grow literally by leaps and bounds - up to 2.5 centimeters per day!

Just as humans have unique fingerprints, each giraffe has a unique coloration. Some representatives have a pattern on their coat in the form of oak leaves, others square shapes drawings, so it seems that a large net was thrown over the giraffe. The spots on the skin of animals can have different colors: from very light to almost black, depending on what they eat and where they live. Some experts argue that giraffes need their spots for camouflage.

IN wildlife Giraffes can only sleep 20 minutes a day and usually no longer than 5 minutes at a time, as they must be on alert at all times to hide from enemies.

All giraffes have a pair of furry horns. Male giraffes use them to fight other males. They rest their heads against each other and intertwine their necks, this type of wrestling is called “neck wrestling.”

Like camels, giraffes can survive for a long time without water thanks to their diet, especially acacia leaves, which contain a large number of moisture. When they really feel thirsty, they go to the nearest body of water to drink and are forced to spread or bend their legs wide in order to reach the water with their muzzle. At this point, giraffes are quite vulnerable to predators. To protect themselves, giraffes usually go to water not alone, so that their relatives monitor the approaching danger and can warn in time.

Giraffes eat exclusively plant foods, especially tree leaves, buds, mimosa and acacia branches. Their growth allows them to reach food that is inaccessible to other animals. A giraffe can eat up to 35 kilograms of food per day. Since a giraffe can pick and swallow only a few leaves at a time, almost the entire day is spent eating.

Acacia trees have sharp thorns that stop most animals, but not giraffes. Their half-meter-long tongues can feel the spines, and thick, thick saliva covers the spines, which the giraffe can swallow. Dark color The tongue helps protect it from sunburn when the giraffe reaches for leaves on the trees.

Giraffes are ruminants, like cows, and their stomachs have four cells that allow them to properly digest leaves. After the giraffe swallows a mouthful of leaves, the ball of already chewed leaves is lifted back to be crushed even further.

Giraffes mate at any time of the year, and a newborn is born after 14 months. Immediately after birth, the cub falls to the ground from a height of about 1.8 meters. The blow usually does not harm the baby, but it does force him to take his first breath. The cub stands firmly on its feet within an hour after birth, and 10 hours after birth it can already run. After a couple of weeks, the cubs join a group of youngsters called "crèches."

In the wild, giraffes live for about 25 years, but in captivity they can live longer.

Habitats:

Giraffes once lived in the dry savannas of sub-Saharan Africa, where there were trees. Today, their habitats have been significantly reduced due to the loss of territories. Most giraffes live in wooded savannas, open wooded areas in coastal forests, eastern Africa and northern parts South Africa, where protected national parks are located.

West African giraffes live in the wild in southwestern Niger. Last remaining population Ugandan giraffe lives in National Park Murchison Falls, Uganda. This subspecies has also been introduced into 6 sites in Kenya and one additional site in Uganda.

Security status: From "Least Concern" to "Threatened"

Overall, giraffes are not in danger of extinction, but some subspecies are. For example, the West African and Ugandan giraffes are facing extinction.

Giraffes are quite widespread in Africa, their population reaches about 100 thousand individuals. Experts say the number of giraffes is declining due to habitat loss and poaching, so these animals may soon end up listed as an endangered species.

The most great danger West African giraffes are at risk of extinction. Currently, there are less than 200 individuals left, but thanks to nature conservation programs, the number of these giraffes is gradually increasing.

Ugandan giraffes are also endangered. There are about 2,500 of them left, and experts fear that their number is becoming smaller every day.

The appearance of giraffes resembles something between a camel and a leopard. They have a small hump on their back and spotted skin. Some people called the giraffe "camel-leopard", hence its Latin name camelopardalis.

A giraffe's foot is about 30 centimeters in diameter - the size of a dinner plate.

The giraffe's neck reaches a length of about 2 meters and weighs more than 250 kilograms.

The giraffe's hind legs seem shorter, although they are almost the same length as the front ones - on average 1.8 meters.

A giraffe's heart weighs about 11 kilograms and has a diameter of about 0.6 meters.

Giraffes have long been thought to be mute, but in fact they produce sounds that are inaudible to the human ear. They can also whistle, hiss, moo and growl.

Besides humans, the only enemies of giraffes in nature are lions and crocodiles. Giraffes can defend themselves with deadly kicks if they are in serious danger.

Males need to smell or taste the female's urine to determine her readiness to mate.

Giraffes have the same number of vertebrae in their spine as humans - 7. Each vertebrae is about 25 centimeters in length.

Giraffes can run quite fast to escape their enemies. The record speed of a giraffe is 55 kilometers per hour.

Giraffes are the tallest living animals, which, combined with their bright spotted coloring and unusual body proportions, makes them absolutely recognizable.

Taxonomy

Latin name - Giraffa camelopardalis
English name- Giraffe
Order Artiodactyla (Artiodactyla)
Giraffe family (Giraffidae)
There are 9 subspecies of giraffe, the zoo contains 2 of them:
reticulated giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata) - range red
South African giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis giraffa) - blue

Conservation status of the species

The giraffe is listed in the International Red Book as a species of least concern - IUCN(LC).

Species and man

Until the arrival of Europeans in Africa, giraffes lived in the savannas of almost the entire continent. The local population hunted them, but not actively, and everything was used: the meat was eaten, shields were made from skins, and strings were made from sinews. musical instruments, from the hair of the tail brush - bracelets. The first white settlers exterminated giraffes mainly for the sake of their skins, from which they made leather for the top of Boer carts, belts and whips. Later, during safari, rich European hunters, having fun, killed many of these magnificent animals, and only the tails with tassels served as trophies. As a result of such barbarity, the number of giraffes has almost halved over the last two centuries.

Currently, giraffes are rarely hunted, however, their numbers in central Africa continue to decline, mainly due to the destruction of natural landscapes.

The giraffe is a peace-loving animal; it gets along well with humans and is one of the symbols of the African savannah.

Long-necked animals appeared in zoos in Egypt and Rome around 1500 BC. e. The first giraffes arrived in London, Paris and Berlin in the 20s of the 19th century, and they were transported on sailing ships and walked across Europe. The animals were covered from bad weather with special raincoats, and leather sandals were put on their feet so that they would not wear off their hooves. Giraffes are now kept in almost all major zoos in the world and reproduce well in captivity.

Range and habitats

African continent. They live south of the Sahara in savannas and sparse dry forests.

Appearance, features of morphology and physiology

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 height at the withers is 3 m, while the length of the body is only 2.5 m! The weight of an adult male is about 800 kg, females are smaller and weigh 550–600 kg. On the forehead of both males and females there are small horns covered with hair. Usually there is one pair, but sometimes two. In the middle of the forehead, many giraffes have a small bony outgrowth that resembles an additional unpaired horn.

Coloring animals in different parts The range varies greatly, which served as the basis for zoologists to identify 9 subspecies. However, even within the same subspecies it is impossible to find two completely identically colored giraffes: the spotted pattern is unique, like a fingerprint. Young animals are always a little lighter than older ones. The spots scattered across the giraffe's body imitate the play of shadow and light in the tree crowns and perfectly camouflage giraffes among the trees.

At first glance, outwardly awkward, giraffes are in fact perfectly adapted to life in the savannah: they see far and hear perfectly.

Giraffes usually move at a smooth pace, ambling (first both right legs are in motion, then both left legs). Only in cases of extreme necessity do giraffes switch to an awkward, seemingly slow gallop, but they maintain such a gait for no more than 2–3 minutes. A galloping giraffe constantly nods deeply, bowing with each jump, since it 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. The animal looks extremely clumsy while running, but reaches speeds of up to 50 km/h.

For a long time, the giraffe, due to its unusual body structure, presented a mystery to physiologists. The heart of this animal is 2 m above the hooves and almost 3 m below the head. This means that, on the one hand, a significant column of blood presses on the vessels of the legs, which should lead to swelling of the legs, on the other hand, significant efforts are required to lift the blood to the brain. How does the giraffe's body cope with these problems? The lower part of the animal's limbs is tightened with a thick layer of subcutaneous connective tissue, which forms a dense stocking that presses on the walls of the blood vessels from the outside. Powerful Heart a giraffe creates a pressure of 300 mmHg. Art., which is 3 times higher than in humans. When approaching the brain, due to gravitational forces, the pressure of the bloodstream decreases, and in the giraffe’s head it is maintained at the same level as in other mammals. When the giraffe's head is raised, valves located in the jugular vein prevent blood from flowing out too quickly. When the giraffe lowers its head and the brain is 2 m below the heart, the pressure in it remains the same (90–100 mm Hg) due to the original structure of the blood vessels. Valves in the walls of the jugular vein prevent blood from returning to the brain, and a special network of elastic arteries located at the base of the skull delays it as it approaches the brain.

Long neck giraffe creates more big problem to breathe, they are forced to breathe more often than could be expected from such large animals: the respiratory rate of an adult giraffe at rest reaches 20 breaths per minute, while in humans it is only 12–15.

Lifestyle and social organization

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 motion. 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 extended hind leg allows the giraffe to quickly rise if danger approaches). 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!

More often, giraffes are found in groups. Adult females, adolescents and young animals are united in groups, the number of which rarely exceeds 20 individuals. The composition of such associations is not constant, animals join or leave them at will, a strong connection is observed only between females and their restless babies. In open spaces, animals often form groups; when grazing in forests, they disperse.

Group sizes also depend on the season of the year. At the height of the dry season, when there is less food, giraffes disperse across the savannah in small groups, at most 4-5 individuals. On the contrary, during the rainy season, when it is easier to feed, 10–15 animals unite.

Adult males move actively, covering up to 20 km a day in search of receptive females, and are often alone. The largest male in a given territory seeks to monopolize access to females. If another male gets in his way, the dominant takes a characteristic pose with his neck stretched vertically and his front legs tense, pointed towards the opponent. If he does not think to retreat, then a duel begins, where the main weapon turns out to be the neck. The animals strike each other with loud blows with their heads, aiming them at the enemy’s belly. The defeated animal retreats, the dominant pursues the loser at a distance of several meters, and then freezes in a victorious pose with its tail raised up.

Nutrition and feeding behavior

Giraffes graze for 12–14 hours a day, preferring dawn or dusk when the heat is not so intense. They are called “pluckers” because giraffes feed on foliage, flowers, young shoots of trees and shrubs, finding food at a height of 2 to 6 meters. They bend over for grass in exceptional cases, when young shoots sprout wildly after heavy rains. No matter what part of Africa giraffes graze, they prefer acacias, diversifying their menu with another 40–60 species of woody plants. Giraffes survive severe periods of drought by eating the tough leaves of drought-resistant plants, as well as fallen leaves and dry pods of acacias.

Giraffes have a unique mouthparts. The lips are equipped with long hairs, from which information about the presence of spines and the degree of maturity of the leaves is sent to the brain through nerve canals. The purple tongue of the giraffe, flexible, strong and extremely mobile, reaches a length of 46 cm. When grazing, it slips past the thorns, curls up into a groove, wraps around the branches with the youngest and most delicious leaves and pulls them up to the level of upper lip. Inner edges The lips are covered with papillae, which help the animal hold the desired plant in its mouth: the giraffe cuts it off with the incisors of the lower jaw. The giraffe pulls smooth branches through its mouth, where there is free space (diastema) between the premolars and fangs, tearing off all the leaves with its lips.

Like other ruminants, giraffes increase the digestibility of their feed by repeated chewing. In addition, they have unique ability chew food while on the move, which allows them to significantly increase their grazing time.

The giraffe eats relatively little for its size. Adult males consume about 66 kg of fresh greens every day, females - about 58 kg.

Since giraffes' food consists of 70% water, they do not need frequent watering, but if available pure water, they drink it willingly. In some places, giraffes eat the soil, replenishing the lack of mineral salts in the body.

The relationship between giraffes and acacias, their main food, deserves special attention. For millions of years, there was an evolutionary “arms race” between them, during which both sides developed adaptations and counter-adaptations. On the one hand - sharp spines, thorns and hooks, as well as a high tannin content - toxic substances having a strong taste. On the other hand, there is a virtuoso tongue, very thick saliva, special substances secreted by the liver, and the ability to recognize leaves in which the concentration of toxic substances is highest. And the black acacia, especially loved by giraffes, has even adapted to reproduce with the help of giraffes! At the end of the dry season, the acacia tree is covered with creamy white flowers, which cannot leave indifferent giraffes, for whom these flowers are a very attractive source nutrients. The leaves of the black acacia are protected by sharp thorns, but the flowers are defenseless. Giraffes, eating these delicacies at a height of 4 meters, each time dust their heads and necks with pollen and spread it to dozens of trees, walking up to 20 km a day. Thus, for acacia, the loss of some flowers and buds is compensated by the spread of pollen and guaranteed pollination of the remaining flowers by giraffes.

Vocalization

For a long time it was believed that giraffes were voiceless. But in fact, they have a completely normal vocal apparatus, and they can make a whole range of different sounds. When in danger, giraffes snore, releasing air through their nostrils. Males that are excited or have grappled with an opponent emit a hoarse cough or growl. It happens that adult giraffes, having reached the height of excitement, roar loudly. Frightened cubs scream subtly and plaintively, without opening their lips.

Reproduction and raising of offspring

Giraffes do not have a specific breeding season. Adult males move from one group to another, sniffing females and determining their readiness to mate. The largest and strongest males participate in reproduction. Giraffe pregnancy lasts more than a year(15 months), after which one cub is born; twins are extremely rare. The baby, about two meters tall and weighing 70 kg, falls at birth from a height of two meters, since the female does not lie down during childbirth. She can retire behind the trees, but does not stray far from the group. Like all ungulates, a newborn tries to stand on its legs a few minutes after birth, and half an hour later it tastes its mother’s milk. The baby giraffe develops quickly, and after a week he is already running and jumping no worse than an adult animal. At the age of two weeks, the baby begins to try plant foods, but the mother feeds him milk for a whole year. She selflessly protects the cub from lions and hyenas, but, nevertheless, about half of the giraffes become prey to predators during the first year of life.

The cubs leave their mother at about 16 months of age.

A female giraffe gives birth to her first calf when she is 5 years old. If conditions are favorable, she will produce offspring every 18 months for up to 20 years. Males begin to reproduce at an older age.

Lifespan

In captivity, giraffes live up to 25 years (the record is 28 years), in the wild - less.

Giraffes at the Moscow Zoo

On the old territory of the zoo there is the “Giraffe House”, where everyone’s favorite, Samson Hamletovich Leningradov, lives. This is the only animal in the zoo with this full name. Samson was born in the Leningrad Zoo in 1993 (hence his surname) and came to us at the age of three. Good-natured, peace-loving, he enjoys communicating with people.

Samson's favorite food is willow leaves, which he eats from branches suspended high in the enclosure. He eats hay or grass from a feeder, which is also located at a four-meter height. Even its automatic drinking bowl is raised by 2 meters. Samson is fed 3 times a day: in the morning he receives hay, branches and about 3 kg of rolled oats. During the day, they provide succulent food: vegetables and fruits (potatoes, carrots, beets, apples, bananas), which must be cut, otherwise the animal may choke. Samson first chooses bananas, apples and carrots, but by the evening he eats everything. At night, add hay to the feeder and give branches again. The branches are placed indoors, so sometimes, when you come to the zoo in the evening, you may not see Samson in the outdoor enclosure - he has gone off to eat his favorite willow.

Beginning with late autumn and until spring, about once a month, Samson is given a shower - watered with a hose. He becomes very animated - he runs around the enclosure, funnyly throwing up his long legs. In the summer, Samson washes in the rain: he likes the warm, light rain, but during a downpour he hurries to take shelter under the roof.

Samson belongs to the subspecies of reticulated giraffes, and in the New Territory of the zoo in the “Ungulates of Africa” pavilion you can see a giraffe of another, South African subspecies that came from Kenya. In summer the animal walks on fresh air, and in winter it is kept indoors. This is a female, her daily routine is the same as Samson’s, but she was born in the wild and therefore is not so sociable (trusting) with people. She spends most of her time at her feeders, but sometimes grazes on the grass growing in the clearing. At the same time, the long-necked and long-legged animal spreads its front legs wide and crouches funny. She is very peaceful with zebras and an ostrich, her neighbors in the enclosure, and sometimes even plays with them, going for short runs.

Giraffes are found in Africa in savannas. Since giraffes are tall animals, they prefer to eat leaves from trees. It is believed that acacias are the most favorite delicacy of giraffes. These animals eat a lot - it takes them almost the whole day to eat (since they also sleep little). A giraffe spends an average of 16-20 hours a day eating.

Giraffes are amazing animals, whose height reaches 6 meters, and the height of the neck is approximately half the height, that is, about 3 meters. Giraffes live in African savannas, south of the Sahara. They feed on leaves and tree branches. Sometimes they also eat grass, but less often, since bending over with such a long neck is inconvenient for them.

Giraffes- these are animals whose habitat is limited only Africa(savannas), they do not live on other continents.

Examples of countries are Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, South Africa and some other countries.

Concerning giraffe nutrition, then they feed on trees and shrubs. Their stomach is completely adapted for plant foods.

They live in sub-Saharan Africa. They feed on leaves and branches of various acacias.

Giraffes are the tallest land animals on our planet, the height of adults is 5.5 - 6.1 meters, weight - 900-1200 kg. Habitat: African savannas. Giraffes, exclusively herbivores, feed on leaves and branches of trees, of which they prefer acacias.

To begin with, I want to tell you a few interesting facts: The giraffe is the tallest animal, it spends 1.5-2 hours sleeping, they are not voiceless but communicate at frequencies below 20 Hz which are not audible to humans, they live in the steppes of Eastern and Southern Africa, but now they can only be seen in the south and south- East of the Sahara, giraffes are herbivorous mammals that feed exclusively on grass and leaves/branches of trees.

The giraffe is the tallest mammal in the world. Giraffes live in Africa, south of the Sahara Desert. An adult giraffe can reach a height of 4 m and weigh from 550 to 1800 kg.



Giraffes feed on the fruits of various trees, leaves and young branches. They feed on succulent tree leaves; giraffes can go without water for long periods of time.

Giraffes belong to a group of ruminant artiodactyl animals. Giraffes can live in steppes, forests, and even mountains. Natural habitat is the African savanna south of the Sahara Desert. The structural features of the body and the long neck allow this animal to obtain food for itself. high altitude. Some giraffes can reach six meters in height!



Giraffes feed only on fresh shoots, leaves and branches of acacia; this animal also loves to eat. He can eat 40-50 kilograms of plant food per day.

An animal can go without water for a very long time, just like camels. Very interesting feature! In case of danger, a giraffe can reach speeds of up to 55 km/h.



The length of the tongue can be up to 40 centimeters.



Giraffes are exclusively African animals and, apart from the black continent, are found only in zoos. Since giraffes feed on young leaves and shoots, they favorite place habitats - savannas, African semi-steppes, in which there is enough acacia, so beloved by giraffes. A giraffe almost never eats leaves below the middle of its body, preferring either the upper shoots, like males, or shoots at neck level, like females. In Africa, giraffes can be found almost throughout the continent, although the habitats themselves are quite limited. Giraffes are found in Tanzania, Kenya, Mozambique and South Africa, Zambia, Somalia and South Sudan, small herds graze in Niger and Chad.



Giraffes live only in Africa. Eating plant foods growing at a certain height: branches and leaves of trees, shrubs.

Giraffes have great difficulty in nipping off a piece of grass due to their long necks, as well as drinking, they can only do this by kneeling or spreading their front legs wide apart. In the struggle for existence and for food resources in particular, giraffes have occupied the niche of animals that feed on plants at altitude - which is why they have such a long neck.

Despite the length of the neck, the number of vertebrae in it is the same as in all other mammals - 7 pieces, only they are very large and long. The giraffe's tongue is also long and black; such a long tongue not only helps the animal reach distant branches and leaves, but also cleans its ears and eyes.

Under natural conditions, the giraffe can be found in the savannas of Africa, south and southeast of the Saharan Desert; more northern populations have been exterminated by humans. Giraffes can also be found in almost any zoo in the world. These giants are classified as herbivores and they feed on the greenery of trees; they give preference to acacias.

One of the tallest mammals living on land is the giraffe. Close relatives of giraffes are okapi, and distant relatives are deer. Its undeniable difference from other animals is that it has a very long neck, which makes up almost half of its total height. Only elephants, hippos and rhinoceroses are larger in size.

Appearance of a giraffe

The height of the giraffe including the neck and head can reach about 6 meters. The average height at the withers is 3.5 meters. However, males and females differ slightly in height. Individuals female a little smaller. And accordingly, they cannot weigh as much as a male giraffe weighs.

Average animal weight varies within two tons. The tail is about a meter long, with a tuft of black hair at the end. In addition to its outstanding height and long neck, the giraffe has another distinctive feature, namely wool covered with black and brown spots.

The spots are separated by intervals of yellowish or whitish color. The spots are irregular in shape with jagged edges. However, the type of spots on the body of each animal is the same. Giraffes have coarse mane on the neck. The fur of the mane is dark brown. The length of the hairs reaches 12 centimeters.

Representatives of both sexes have a a pair of short and blunt horns. They are covered with skin. However, the horns of male and female giraffes are slightly different:

• males have more massive and longer horns;
• sometimes there is a third horn on the forehead;
• the bony outgrowths on the back of the head in old males are often well developed (“five-horned” giraffes).

Features of the neck structure

Skeleton cervical region includes only 7 vertebrae. This amount is typical for the structure of the neck of almost all species of mammals. The neck is long solely due to the structure of the vertebrae - each vertebra is greatly elongated.

Another feature is that the thoracic vertebra, the one immediately behind the cervical vertebra, is greatly modified. It looks more like one of the cervical vertebrae.

Blood pressure. By virtue of tall, giraffes have a colossal load on the heart and the entire circulatory system. The heart is well developed and strong enough to withstand record high blood pressure.

Its indicators are three times higher than those of humans. In turn, this blood pressure necessary so that blood can flow freely from the heart to the brain. When the head is raised, pressure is in the skull.

Lowering your head could risk a dangerous increase in pressure. To ensure that the up and down movements of the neck do not cause instant death, nature "fuses" are provided:

1. Blood is thick and has an increased density compared to human blood.
2. There is a special defense mechanism, two vascular formations.

Due to these indicators arterial pressure normalizes. Venous valves allow blood to flow only in one direction, to the heart, and prevent reverse flow to the brain.

Animal's maximum speed

Despite the fact that the height of the giraffe is quite large, and it seemed that this could interfere with high-quality running, however, they are considered very fast animals. If necessary, animals can run at a gallop. So, their maximum speed can be almost 55 km/h. This means that giraffes can outrun a horse.

However, these majestic animals often prefer to move slowly. The giraffe walks, simultaneously moving first one pair of hooves to the right, then to the left. Animals walk exclusively on hard surfaces. This is due to their height and thin legs.

However, an interesting fact is that with its growth giraffes can jump. Sometimes they are even able to overcome obstacles and barriers higher than one and a half meters.

Giraffe diet

These animals are classified as herbivores, a group of ruminants. The physiology and structure of their body make it possible to feed on leaves from high tree crowns. Based on where the giraffe lives, this allows it to remain out of competition compared to other species.

The most delicious leaves for them are acacia leaves. Covering long tongue branch, the giraffe pulls it to his mouth and then plucks the leaves. At the same time, the head is pulled back. Despite the fact that the branches are often thorny, oral cavity and the tongue is not damaged in any way.

In a day, one representative of these animals is able to consume up to 30 kilograms of greens. This takes at least up to 16 hours. It happens that a giraffe can spend about 20 hours doing this activity. It has been noticed that males and females eat differently. Male individuals nibble leaves from the very tops.

At the same time, they stretch their neck so much that it seems as if it becomes an extension of the neck. Females, on the contrary, do not try to reach the very top of the trees. They eat leaves growing at the level of the body. This is why they are often in a bent neck position.

Giraffes do not have a great need for water; they may not drink nothing at all for 7 days. This need is more than covered by juicy food. However, if the animal nevertheless decides to drink, then this volume will be at least 38 liters.

These animals do not really like to drink, since at this time they will have to lower their head down, so the animal remains unprotected and may not notice the impending danger.

Giraffe habitat and how long they live

Scientists agree that the ancestors of giraffes appeared about 25 million years ago. The remains of these animals were found in Africa, as well as Eurasia. However, now the habitat of giraffes is exclusively continent Africa.

The eastern part is especially densely populated. But speaking about the southwestern part of the continent, we can say that the animals there have been practically exterminated. Groups with small numbers are rare can be found in the steppes. This is due to the fact that some time ago there was a total hunt for giraffes.

For a long time, ecologists were at a loss about how long this animal could live. However, it was possible to find out that in natural environment adults It is rare to live more than 15 years. But it is a known fact that a giraffe in captivity was able to live 28 years. To date, this is the most old age known to science.

So, by the end of the article, we were able to find out several interesting facts about giraffes, namely, that they have a body height of more than 5 meters, a long neck, which helps them eat in a special way, today they can only live in Africa and are capable of developing the speed of a good horse. Truly unique and interesting animals!

The giraffe is a mammal that belongs to the order Artiodactyla, family Giraffidae. Latin name Giraffa camelopardalis. Of the hired animal species, it is the tallest. There are several species of giraffes that live in different places And climatic zones, what determines how much a giraffe weighs and its color.

The height of giraffes reaches up to 5.7 m, of which 3.3 m is from the body to the shoulders, 2.4 m is from the neck to the horns. Males are larger than females, which are smaller on average by 1 m. Males weigh 1500-1900 kg, females - up to 1200. A newborn cub weighs 50-55 kg, height is 2 m. Life expectancy - 25 years in a zoo, 10-15 years in the wild.

Due to high growth, the load on the heart muscle increases and vascular system animal. Giraffes have a strong heart, reaching a weight of up to 12 kg. In 1 minute it is capable of moving up to 60 liters of blood, the pressure on the walls of blood vessels is 3 times higher than the human norm.

They have thick skin covered with a coat of short hairs. Lengthening of the fur is noticeable only on the mane, back, forehead and tail brush. The main color is little noticeable, most of the body is covered with spots. The coloring of the coat is different for each species, depending on the area. The spots vary in size, color, location on the body, and number. Shades of spots range from yellow to black. The coat pattern obtained during intrauterine development remains unchanged throughout life. Small spots on the long neck and legs, absent on the ventral abdomen and inner legs.

The giraffe's legs are thin but strong, the front ones are longer than the back ones. The long neck also consists of 7 cervical vertebrae, the size of which is longer than usual. The back is sloping and ends thin long tail 100 cm. The tassel-shaped tip of the tail is necessary equipment for protection against insects. On the head there are 2 horns of 15 cm each with tassels at the end. They are formed from bone tissue, covered with skin and hair, is thinner in females than in males. Another bony growth is located in the middle of the forehead, which is not a horn.

The tongue of giraffes is black, large and long, which helps with feeding, and the muzzle is long and elongated. Reaches a length of up to 45 cm - this is necessary for obtaining food. The giraffe feeds on leaves from trees, which it grabs from the upper branches using its tongue.

Types of giraffes

Only with the help of genetic analysis of almost 200 giraffes from different groups was it possible to establish that there are 4 separate species of these mammals. Previously it was believed that there was 1 species and 9 different subspecies. The variety depends on the location; the main habitat is Africa. Each region has a specific subspecies, there are 9 subspecies in total.

1. Nubian giraffe. The habitat is in eastern Sudan and western Ethiopia. Dark coat color, spots Brown with bordered white lines. Large bony growth on the forehead.
2. Rothschild's giraffe or Ugandan giraffe lives in Uganda. Has spots large sizes brown with white stripes between them.
3. Somali or reticulated giraffe. Habitat: northern Kenya and southern Somalia. This subspecies is distinguished by its beautiful color, with bright brown-red spots of medium size. Every spot ends with a sharp edge white. The bone growth in females is completely absent.
4. The Angolan giraffe inhabits the countries of Namibia and Botswana. The wool is colored with large elongated spots. The origin of this subspecies occurred in Angola, but now the population in the country has been destroyed.
5. Kordofan giraffe from the western regions of Sudan and Central Africa. A special feature is the unevenly located spots, which are more numerous in the lower part of the legs and joints.
6. The Masai giraffe, a species that has dark spots only on its legs, has unusual shape, like a star.
7. South African giraffe from Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa. The coat color is golden in color, with dark round spots.
8. Thorneycroft's giraffe - lives in Zambia. Light-colored coat with dark spots irregular shape with sharp corners.
9. The West African giraffe is a small subspecies that is protected from extinction. All surviving individuals number 175 giraffes, living only in the state of Chad.

The height of each giraffe subspecies differs slightly from the others.

Previously, varieties were taken for independent species. This was led by the facts of the sharp difference in the spots and growth of giraffes. Different color patterns exist even among the same subspecies and family. There is a theory that suggests the existence of giraffes with uniform coat color without spots.

Where do giraffes live?

Giraffes as a separate species appeared in Central Asia, then spread to the countries of Africa and Europe. The distribution range of giraffes is from 5 to 654 km² and depends on the source of water and food. The permanent habitat of giraffes is the African continent.

Territorially distributed from the southern lands of the Sahara Desert to the eastern Transvaal and northern Botswana. Previously, animals lived in West Africa, but all species have disappeared. In this part, giraffes live in the Niger Republic thanks to the restored population from artificial reserves.

An arid climate is satisfactory for this group of mammals. Populations are found in savannas, grasslands and rare forests. For the place where the herd is formed, areas with a large number of acacias suitable for their feeding are selected. Giraffes are not very dependent on the source of water, since they drink little. Males leave the herd in search of deciduous habitats.

Now they are creating for giraffes favorable conditions in nature reserves of Australia, Europe, Asia, America.

Nutrition and lifestyle

Giraffes lead social image life, live in large open herds. In one herd there are on average 10-20 individuals, the maximum recorded number of inhabitants reached 70 animals. A giraffe can join or leave the herd voluntarily, at its own discretion. These mammals are considered to be very fast, reaching speeds of up to 60 km per hour and covering long distances.

Giraffes rest at night in a standing position, taking a certain position. The animal lowers its head onto its hind leg, and its neck takes the shape of a small arch. The supine position during sleep is rarely accepted. The eyes are not completely closed, slightly open, the ears twitch normally. They have the minimum need for sleep duration of all mammals - about 2 hours per day.

To establish their superiority in the pack, fights are organized. Adult males participate in the fight. Sparring begins with walking next to each other, horizontal necks pointing forward. Then the necks are intertwined, the heads are leaned close to each other - this is necessary to assess the strength of the enemy. After the assessment, a blow to the neck and head is applied. The impact is severe and some giraffes are knocked down and severely injured.

Giraffes are ruminant mammals with a four-chambered stomach and feed on plant foods. Most of the day - up to 20 o'clock - is spent eating. The main diet consists of the following products:

• tree leaves;
• flowers;
• seeds;
• fruits.

They obtain minerals from the soil of the savannah. Among the trees that are used are the leaves of acacia senegalese, mimosa pudica, combretum parviflora, and apricots. During long journeys, they can remain for a long time without eating, replacing it with chewing gum. Preference is given to acacia leaves. To tear off leaves, the giraffe pulls up and bends a tree branch, grabbing it with its mouth, and tears off the leaves with its lips. The presence of thorns does not prevent acacia from being eaten; the giraffe's molars are capable of grinding them in the process of absorption along with the leaves. Females are selective in choosing trees; they prefer high-calorie leaves, obtaining them from the lower branches.

An adult animal consumes 65 kg of food per day. In a critical situation during drought, a giraffe needs to reduce its diet to 7 kg of food per day to survive. They can consume up to 35 liters of liquid at one time.

Reproduction

This species is polygamous. During the mating season, the male begins to court the female. It starts with analyzing the smell of urine. After assessing the female, the male rubs his head against her rump, then lays his head on his back. The next stage of courtship is licking the tail of the chosen one. The male then throws his front paw over her back. If the female has responded positively to the courtship, she raises her tail to mate. During the rainy season, offspring are conceived. Gestation lasts 450 days on average.

Females give birth in dry seasons from May to August. Giraffes reproduce every 20-30 months. Delivery begins in a standing position or while moving. A baby giraffe is called a calf and is born 2 m tall. After 15 minutes, the newborn baby is already sucking mother's milk and gradually stands on its feet. At first, for 7-10 days, the foal hides during the day and at night. The close stay of a female cub with its mother lasts up to 12-16 months. Males stay with their mother for 2 months less. Sexual maturity occurs in males at 4-5 years of age; they begin to reproduce at 7 years of age upon reaching sexual maturity. Young females mature earlier - at 3-4 years, but begin to reproduce later.

At birth, a giraffe does not have horns, instead there is only cartilage. As the calf grows, the cartilage ossifies, taking the shape of horns. The black fur covering the forehead also disappears.

In a herd, females are social. They organize collective supervision of their common cubs. After the foal is weaned from its mother after 4 weeks, one female looks after the cubs of the entire herd during the day, which is periodically replaced. The remaining females are free and can travel long distances, and all children remain under supervision and protection from wild animals. The cubs return at night to feed.

Role in the ecosystem

Giraffes have great importance in the planet's ecosystem. Many species are protected by conservation organizations. Interaction also occurs with other animals and birds. Buff starlings consist of mutually beneficial relationships with large mammals. They clean the back and neck of giraffes from ticks and insects with their beaks. At the same time, the birds receive the necessary nutrients.

Relationships with humans are not vital to animal populations. Giraffes in nature reserves and zoos, with the necessary care, live longer than in the wild. Poachers hunted giraffes for their meat, skin, and tails. Household items were made from the skin: whips, reins, belts, upholstery. The ancient Greeks and Romans staged displays of these animals in the Colosseums to entertain the public. The population of these mammals is protected in eastern and southern Africa, but has declined in the western regions of the continent. The total number of subspecies is 150 thousand individuals.

Giraffes are threatened by wild animals and poachers. On land they are hunted by lions, leopards, and hyenas. Near bodies of water during watering hours they are defenseless from attacks by crocodiles. Only large adult individuals are capable of defending themselves; young ones are often attacked. Its impressive size can scare away predators. The hooves of the front legs can deliver heavy blows, which is the self-defense of giraffes. One strong blow can break the skull bone of a not very large animal.

Giraffes are inhabitants of zoos. Correct conditions maintenance benefits the animals and prolongs their lifespan.