The Tallest of Them All – Princess of the Tree Tops – 14 Pictures
We already know that giraffes are the tallest land animals, with the neck that can be 2 meters long – almost like the height of some basketball players. But what many of us did not know, is the fact that those big mammals have, believe it or not, 4 stomachs. So sit in your favorite chair and find out more about those specific creatures and their way of living.
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Did you know that the weight of a male giraffe is about 1.4 tone. Almost like some cars. And the giraffe’s neck includes the same number of vertebrae as a human neck and it is long 1.5-1.8 meters.
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If you ever wonder if it is possible to identify the sex of the giraffe, the answer is – yes. Thanks to the horns on its head. Actually, both females and males have horns, but the horns of females are smaller, covered with hair at the top.
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A giraffe’s tail is covered with hair that is about 10 times thicker than the average strand of human hair, and it is a perfect protection from the annoying insects.
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Giraffes do not need water every day because most of this precious liquid comes to them through the plants they eat. On the other hand, drinking is one of the most dangerous job for those tall animals because while giraffe is getting a drink, she can’t keep a look out for dangerous predators – she is completely vulnerable to attack.
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How does a giraffe protect itself from predators? She is “Invisible” thanks to the specific spots that cover its fur. Actually, when the giraffe stands in front of bushes or trees, the dark and light spots on its fur blends in with the sunlight and shadows and makes a great camouflage effect.
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The giraffe a kind of a “Forest Gump” in the messy savannas. When this animal wants to escape predators, she gallops! She can reach a top speed of 37 miles per hour. When giraffe walks, it is about 10 miles per hour. A baby giraffe is able to run in as little as one hour after birth, although only over a short distance.
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The king of the jungle, the lion, is the giraffe’s main predator who can run about 50 miles per hour. But thanks to exceptional eyesight and the angle of watching (because the giraffe is very tall, of course) this animal can spot the lion as far as a half mile away and escape in time.
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Mommy giraffe gives birth while standing up. That is why the calf drops about 6 feet to the ground. But no worry, it never gets hurt from the fall.
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“Necking” is a fight between two male giraffes over female giraffes. The two giraffes stand side by side and one giraffe swings his head and neck, hitting his head against the other giraffe. Sometimes one giraffe is knocked down cold during a combat.
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Giraffes sleep about 5 to 30 minutes per day. They have one of the shortest sleep requirements of any mammal.
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There are no two giraffes that have the same spot pattern. Just like human fingerprints, snowflakes or zebra’s stripes.
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The name Giraffe Camelopardalis means “one who walks quickly, a camel marked like a leopard”.
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Giraffes have bluish-purple tongues which are tough and covered in bristly hair to help them with eating the thorny Acacia trees.
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