GIRAFFE,Giraffa camelopardalis
Family Giraffidae
Images of Giraffes
More info on Giraffes
WHAT IT IS
The biggest ruminant and the tallest mammal. Very long neck with short,
upstanding mane, high shoulders sloping steeply to hindquarters; long legs
nearly equal in length. Male wt 2420-4250 lb (1100-1932 kg), shoulder ht 9-11 ft
(2.7-3.3 m), top of horns up to 18 ft (5.5 m); Female wt 1540-2600 lb (700 1182 kg),
female shoulder ht 2 ft shorter. Head tapers to point; long, prehensile tongue. Horns: solid
bone, skin covered; a main pair in both sexes but female's thin and tufted;
male's thick and bald on top, up to 5 in (13.5 cm). A median horn and 4 or
more smaller bumps in males. Tail hocklength, with long tassel. Color brown
to rich chestnut (old males darker, even black), dissected into intricate
tapestry by patches and blotches of lighter hair, pattern unique in each giraffe.
Scent glands: possible glands on eyelids, nose, lips; adult males have pungent
smell. Teats: 4.
SUBSPECIES
Eight recognized races, the reticulated giraffe (G. c. reticulata) of
north Kenya most distinctive its latticework of thin lines separating dark patches
is also most unlike the markings of any other mammal. The familiar Masai giraffe
(G. c. tippelskirchi) of East Africa has the most irregular pattern.
RELATIVES
The rare okapi, Okapia johnstoni, confined to a small region within the Congo Basin
and only discovered early this century, is a dead ringer for the rainforest
ancestor of the giraffe.
WHERE IT LIVES
Formerly throughout arid and dry savanna zones south of the Sahara, wherever
trees occur. Eliminated from most of West African and southern Kalahari range
but still reasonably common even outside wildlife preserves.
GOOD PLACES TO SEE IT
Too numerous to mention; most approachable along traveled roads in the
popular national parks.
ECOLOGY
Equipped to exploit a 6 foot band of foliage beyond reach of all other
terrestrial browsers except the elephant. The 18 inch (45 cm) tongue and
a modified atlas-axis joint that lets the head extend vertically further
increase the height advantage. Giraffes can browse crowns of small trees;
big bulls can reach 19 feet, a yard higher than cows. Feed mainly on broad
leafed deciduous foliage in the rains and on evergreen species at other seasons;
menu includes 100 species but Acacia and Combretum trees are mainstays in
most areas. Narrow muzzle and flexible upper lip, along with the prehensile
tongue, enable this animal to harvest the most nutritious leaves in the
quantity (up to 75 lb, 134 kg per day) necessary to sustain its great bulk.
Drinks every 2 to 3 days when water available but also extracts water from
green leaves; spends dry season near evergreen vegetation, as along watercourses,
dispersing more widely in the rains.
ACTIVITY
Females spend just over half a 24 hour day browsing, males somewhat
less (43%). Night is mostly spent Lying down ruminating, especially hours after
dark and before dawn. Bulls spend about 22% of the 24 hours walking, compared
to 13% for cows the extra mileage goes into searching for cows in heat.
SOCIAL/MATING SYSTEM
The giraffe is nonterritorial and sociable, living in loose, open herds. At a
given moment a giraffe may be in a herd composed of all males, all females,
females and young, or of both sexes and all ages or all alone if it is a mature
bull or a cow guarding a new calf. There are no leaders and minimum coordination
of herd movements.
The fluid nature of giraffe society reflects the need to spend most of its time
feeding and to move independently between variably spaced trees, and size that
makes it unnecessary to bunch together for mutual security. Also
height and excellent eyesight enable giraffes to maintain visual contact at
long distances a dozen may be dispersed over 1/2 mi (0.8 km) of savanna and
still be in a herd. In fact giraffes rarely cluster together unless they happen
to be attracted to the same tree, nervous over the presence of lions, or aggregated
in the open. Even at rest, herd members stay over 20 yd apart.
As usual, females are more sociable than males and rarely out of sight of other
females. Mothers of small calves associate most consistently, at least partly
because of a mutual attraction between youngsters that results in creches of up
to 9 calves. Average spacing between calves is usually less than 10yd.
Males remain in maternal herds until they outgrow their resemblance to
females at about 3 years, after which they join bachelor herds. They eventually
leave their natal range, whereas females stay put. Home ranges of adults and
subadults of the two sexes average 63 miles square in Tsavo NP (163 km square), hut vary
enormously from 2 up to 252 miles square (5-654 km square). Once settled, hulls have smaller
ranges than cows.
HOW IT MOVES
A giraffe has just 2 gaits walk and gallop. The long legs and short trunk decree
an ambling walk, with the entire weight supported alternately on left and right
legs, as in camels. The long neck moves in synchrony to maintain balance. In
galloping (top speed 37 mph [60 kph]), forelegs and hind legs work in pairs
like a running rabbit's.
To drink, a giraffe must either straddle or bend its forelegs. The same is
true of the okapi, disproving the idea that the giraffe's extra long neck and
legs are the reason.
REPRODUCTION
Year round, with rainy season conception peak. First pregnant in fourth year,
gestation 14 to 14.5 months; minimum interval hetween calves c. 16 months. Males
begin competing for matings at 7 years hut continue growing, giving seniors a
decided weight and height advantage. Male's head also gains weight with age,
through bone deposition the process that creates the extra knobs on an old bull's
head enabling a bull to deliver ever heavier blows during contests. Combat is
rare, though, as bulls from the same area all know their place in a rank
hierarchy established through daily contests while maturing in bachelor herds.
By the time a female in estrus is ready to mate, the local alpha male has
usually supplanted all lesser rivals without ever coming to blows.
OFFSPRING AND MATERNAL CARE
If we assume Serengeti giraffes are typical, a cow returns to the same location
each time she calves The first week or so a calf lies out half the day and most
of the night, carefully guarded by its mother, which usually stays within 11 to
25 yd of her offspring for the first 2 weeks, although mothers may stay over
100 yd from a hidden calf and even leave it alone to go to water. The increased
security of a maternity group guarding calves in a creche allows a mother to go
further and stay away longer. But calves are rarely left totally unattended; absent
mothers usually return before dark to suckle their offspring and stay with them
overnight. Although giraffes are weaned as yearlings and nutritionally
independent at 16 months, the maternal bond lasts up to 22 months.
PREDATORS
From 50 to 75% of calves fall prey to lions and spotted hyenas the first months,
despite hiding and the mother's determined defense. As adults are too big to be
regular prey, a mother will stand over and defend her calf against lions, which
run the risk of being kicked to death if they get within striking distance.
Females never use their horns, and males only use theirs in contests with peers.
HOW THEY COMMUNICATE
The idea that giraffes are mute is
a myth. Though normally silent, calves bleat and make a mewing call, cows seeking
lost calves bellow, and courting bulls may emit a raucous cough. Giraffes also
give alarm snorts, and moaning, snoring hissing, and flute like sounds have been
reported.
GIRAFFE BEHAVIOR GUIDE
Male Advertising Dominance Male
A big hull walking confidendy in the erect posture, head high, or urine"
testing males. Observe behavior of other bulls toward such an animal
especially whether they discreedy move out of his path.
Aggression
CHALLENGE TO SPAR OR FIGHT
Males only. Females, do not spar or fight.
1. Challenger makes nonchalant approach, stands facing opponent in erect
posture. Probable winner of a sparring contest can be foretold if one stands
more erect or is taller than the other.
2. If opponent responds in kind, they have a confrontation.
3. They move stiff legged into parallel posinon, or
4. March in step with necks horizontal, looking straight ahead.
5. They rub heads and necks and twine necks or lean against one another, ears
flapping (low intensity), with pauses while gazing into distance. Assessing
opponent's weight.
6. Contestants aim blows at rump, flanks, or neck either from head to head
or head to tail posinon, damping impact by leaning away. Skillful rocking
with blows avoids damage. The rare hard blow that lands solidly can down an
opponent.
Standing broadside in erect posture.
Angle horn threat from broadside stance. Aiming horns at
adversary is intentional movement or threat to strike a blow.
OTHER ACTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THREAT DISPLAYS
Sideswiping, mounting, displacement activities.
Submission
Giving way turning away from approaching individual; jumping aside.
Yielding to displacing superior.
Head and ears lowered, chin in. Appeasement display.
Displacement Activities
Pretended feeding; scraping with incisors or licking.
Courtship
MALE BEHAVIOR
Following female, closely and keeping other males away. Tending bond
indicates female approaching or in estrus.
Urine testing with pronounced lip curl.
Contact rubbing head on female's rump, licking her tail, nudging, gentle
bumng, resting neck on her back.
Foreleg lifting.
Standing immobile in erect posture behind c, Prelude to mounnng.
FEMALE BEHAVIOR
Bolting and rapid tail swishing.
Female urinating in response to male approach and contact/sniffing.
Courtship circling.
Holding tail out and deflected while standing in copulatory attitude (head
up or down, ears back).
Mating. Male looks in danger of overbalancing
Mother and Offspring
Young calves standing seemingly alone, just looking around.
Young calves in creches.
Play
Racing around mother after nursing; calves gamboling; nose to nose greeting;
older calves sparring. Especially early and late in day.
Response to Predators
Alert posture, head raised to maximum. Mothers of small calves
especially vigilant.
Snorting. Rarely heard.
Kicking with front or hind feet. Response to close approach,
especially females with calf.
Reprinted from "The Safari Companion" by Richard Estes
Spook Skelton wildlife
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