Giraffe: Characteristics, Behavior And Habitat
You are sure to remember the feeling you had the first time you saw a giraffe, whether in a picture, on TV or live. This elegant animal is one of the most attractive to us, perhaps because physically it is totally different from what we usually see. Would you like to know more about her?
Let’s see how they are, where they live and what their behavior is. Do you think they are scary or friendly? We will see!
The Giraffe and Everything You Should Know About It
Characteristics
Giraffes are mammals and are the tallest in the world due to their long neck and slender legs.
The leg of a giraffe is longer than the height of many adults, measuring up to 1.80 m. Their legs allow them to run away from predators, as they help them reach 56 kilometers per hour in a sprint and 16 km/h over long distances.
What is your long neck for? No doubt to eat the leaves of the trees you find on your way. They say that they eat hundreds of leaves a week and that it is not so easy for them to find food, as they sometimes have to travel several kilometers to be able to feed themselves. The giraffe’s tongue measures 53 centimeters, which makes it easier for them to eat what they need.
They usually walk in groups of about 6 giraffes. Its body measures between 3.8 and 4.7 meters and the tail oscillates between 78 and 100 cm. They usually weigh between 0.6 and 1.9 tons.
What they have over their heads are called ossicones. They are bony horns much more pronounced in males than in females. This lengthens your stature even further.
The fur is short with brown tones, marked with spots of a darker color than its background. On the head, we find a ball-shaped crest, which gives them a very youthful and graceful touch.
Its long tongue tends to have blue or black hues. With it, the giraffes “embrace” the food and bring it to them. A very useful tool.
its habitat
Everyone knows that the place where giraffes live is Africa. They live in open fields with some trees, which allow them to feed and spot predators, and can flee if necessary.
giraffe behavior
Giraffes, as we mentioned earlier, live in groups of up to 20, not less than 6, and these groups are mostly females with some young male to favor procreation.
If there is a need to flee a predator, it can reach up to 60 kilometers per hour. Males fight among themselves to become the leader, and make sounds similar to the mooing of cows. In this way, they warn each other in case any predators approach. Also, this sound serves for mothers to identify their offspring if they get lost.
They are shy, so they always try to avoid confrontations. But if they feel cornered or threatened, especially their offspring, they will use kicks that can be deadly.
Their height helps them identify dangers over long distances, and can warn other giraffes in the group. They are always on the lookout and they say they never sleep, but that’s not entirely true, they sleep, but for very short periods of maximum 20 minutes.
What did you think about knowing more about this majestic animal? They are totally peaceful, so if you have the opportunity to meet one in person, don’t be afraid to approach and give her food, you’ll win her heart! At least while I still have food.
Main image source: Lucag
