Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) - The long-necked gourmet of the savanna

Giraffes certainly are among the most conspiciuous animals of the African savannas. Their size and their long necks are extraordinary. The head of an adult Giraffe is about six metres above the ground; Giraffes are the highest animals living nowadays. But like all other mammals Giraffes have got only seven cervical vertebras. The long neck is a result of the fact that each cervical vertebra is extremely lengthened. Giraffes wear two to six short and blunt horns on their heads. These horns consist of bone tissue and are almost completely covered with skin and fur. The Giraffes's fore legs are longer than the hind legs. So the relativly short body slopes away. Like bovines and antilopes Giraffes are even-toed ungulates. The common Giraffe, as we know it, is also called "Steppe-Giraffe" to seperate it from the closely related, short-necked Okapi (Okapia johnstoni), which is also known as "Forest-Giraffe". Although all (Steppe-) Giraffes are regarded as members of one single species nowadays, there are a lot of differences, especially concerning the markings of the fur. The species is divided into eight subspecies, but also the members of a certain subspecies differ individually in their fur markings; no Giraffe is alike another one. The markings of the fur are like fingerprints among Giraffes.

Giraffes prefer savannas with trees. Even if they occasionally graze on grass and herbs, they can be seen as specialized on feeding on leaves. Their long necks enable them to reach leaves and shoots at altitudes where no other ground living animal can reach. Especially popular among Giraffes are leaves of acacias, which they grab with their up to 50 cm long tongue. Not quite easy, if one takes into account that acacias are very thorny plants. The preference for acacia leaves has an effect on the distribution of the Giraffe, which is very close to the distribution of acacias. Giraffes mostly feed after sunrise and after sunset. During quiet periods they ruminate. Like bovines Giraffes are among ruminants with a complicated system of several stomachs. In regions without trees Giraffes have to take food from the ground. In such cases they splay their long fore legs in order to reach the ground. Giraffes also drink in this way. In this posture Giraffes are quite vulnerable. Besides this, adult Giraffes are not very threatened by carnivores. Sometimes there are attacks by lions, but these are exceptions, since the kicks of the Giraffes' fore hoofs are very feared.

Giraffes live in small groups. Such groups sometimes join each other and form larger herds. They don't have a territory but wander about in areas which can be up to 100 squaremetres large. The Giraffes' social life is normally rather quiet and peaceful. There's a hierarchy among the animals, which is accepted by the members of the group and isn't questioned very often. If quarrels concerning the hierarchy arise between males, they are decided by display patterns most of the time. Sometimes a display pattern might result in a fight, which is dominated by hitting the opponent's body, neck and legs with the head. The defeated Giraffe isn't driven away from the group by the winner. It may stay with the group as a normal member.

After a long pregnancy of about 15 months the female gives birth to a single young. It's well developped and able to follow its mother shortly after birth. Newborn Giraffes weigh about 100 kg and are 1,9 m high. The female Giraffe gives birth while standing. Thus the newborn falls down to the ground from a height of about two metres. The young is weaned when 15 to 17 months old. Females become sexually mature at an age of four to five years, while males reach sexual maturity when three and a half years old. But just the highest ranking male is reproducing. So males have to reach an age of at least eight years to be able to mate. The maximum life span of Giraffes is about 25 years.

It has been disputed for a long time whether Giraffes lay down while sleeping, since they would be very vulnerable in that position. Observations revealed, that Giraffes living in the wild lay down for five to six hours per night, but stand up from time to time and sleep just for a few minutes without interruption.

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