One of the highest mammals inhabitants on land is a giraffe. Close relatives of the giraffes are Okapi, and far - deer. Its an indisputable difference from other animals is that he has a very long neck, which is almost half of its overall growth. Larger largest elephants, hippos and rhinos.
Appearance of giraffe
The height of the giraffe, including the neck and head, maybe reach about 6 meters. Middle height in the withers is 3.5 meters. However, males and females differ slightly in growth. The individuals of the female race is a bit smaller. And they can, respectively, cannot as much as weigh the male giraffe.
The average animal weight varies within two tons. The length of the tail near the meter, with a brush of black hair at the end. Giraffe besides his outstanding growth and long neck, has another distinctive feature, namely wool covered with black and brown spots.
Spots are separated by gaps of yellowish or whiten. Spots have an irregular shape with toothed edges. However, on the body of each animal type of spots is the same. Giraffes have hard mane on the neck. Grievous wool dark brown color. The length of hairs reaches 12 centimeters.
Representatives of both sexes on the top there is a pair of short and stupid horns. They are covered. However, the horn of males and giraffe females differ slightly:
- in males, the horns are massive and longer;
- sometimes there is a third horn on the forehead;
- bone growing on the head of the old males are often well developed ("five-year" giraffes).
Features of the structure of the neck
The skeleton of the cervical area includes only 7 vertebrae. Such quantity is characteristic of the structure of the neck of almost all types of mammals. Neck long solely due to the features of the structure of the vertebrae - each vertebra is strongly stretched.
Another feature is that the breast vertebra, the one that immediately behind the cervical vertebra is strongly modified. He is more likely one of the vertebrae of the cervical.
Blood pressure. By virtue of high growth, the giraffes arises a colossal load on the heart and the entire circulatory system. The heart is well developed and strong enough, in order to withstand record high pressure.
Its indicators are three times higher than human indicators. In turn, such blood pressure is necessary in order to be free to enter the brain from the heart. With the head raised, the pressure is in the cranial box.
When lowering the head, the risk of dangerous increase in pressure could occur. In order to move the neck up and down, did not cause instant death, nature provides "fuses":
- Blood is thick and has an increased density in comparison with human blood.
- There is a special protective mechanism, two vascular education.
Due to these indicators arterial pressure is normalized. Venous valves give blood to flow only in one direction, to the heart and do not pass the reverse outflow to the brain.
Maximum animal speed
Contrary to the fact that the height of the giraffe is quite large, and it seemed that it could prevent the high-quality run, however, they are considered very fast animals. If necessary, an animal can run a gallop. So, their maximum speed can be nearly 55 km / h. This means that the giraffes can overtake the horse.
Nevertheless, these majestic animals are more often preferred to move in slower. Giraffe walks, at the same time moving first one pair hoofs on the right, then on the left. Animals walk exclusively on a solid surface. This is due to their growth and subtle legs.
Interesting, however, the fact that when he is height giraffes are capable of jumping. Sometimes they even undermine obstacles and barriers above one and a half meters.
Giraffe diet
These animals belong to herbivore, a detachment of ruminants. Physiology and structure of their bodies make it possible to eat with the leaves with high trees crowns. Based on where the giraffe lives, it allows him to remain out of competition compared to other species.
The most delicious leaves for them is acacia leaves. Having covered the branch in a long language, the giraffe attracts it to the mouth and then plugs the leaves. With this head pulls back. Contrary to the fact that the branches often spiny, the mouth cavity and the tongue are not damaged.
Per day one representative of these animals is able to consume up to 30 kilograms of greenery. It takes at least 16 hours. It happens that behind this occupation, the giraffe can also hold about 20 hours. It is noticed, males and females are eaten in different ways. The individuals of the male floor hinge leaves from the sickness.
They so much pull out the neck that it seems as if it becomes a continuation of the neck. Females, on the contrary, do not try to reach the top of the trees. They eat leaflets growing at the body level. That is why they are often in a position with a bent neck.
Giraffes have no great need for water, they may not drink Nothing for 7 days. This need is accurately covered by juicy feed. However, if nevertheless, the animal decided to drink, then this volume will be at least 38 liters.
These animals do not really like to drink, since at this time the head will have to lower down, so the animal remains unprotected and may not notice an impending danger.
Habitat giraffes and how much they live
Scientists agree that the ancestors of the 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 of the populated is especially thick. But speaking about the southwestern part of the continent, it can be said that there are almost exterminated animals. Groups with a small occasionally can be found in the steppes. This is due to the fact that some time ago at the giraffes were a total hunt.
For a long time, environmentalists lost in guessing about how much it can live this animal. However, it was possible to find out that in the natural environment, adult individuals rarely managed to live for more than 15 years.. But the fact is known when the giraffe in captivity was able to live 28 years. Today, this is the largest age of famous science.
So, by the end of the article, it was possible to find out several interesting facts about the giraffes, namely what they have a body height of more than 5 meters, a long neck, which helps to eat in a special way, today can live only in Africa and are able to develop speed like a good hitch. Truly unique and interesting animals!
Giraffes are the highest modern animals that, in combination with a bright spotted color and unusual proportions of the body makes them absolutely recognizable.
Systematics
Latin name - Giraffa Camelopardalis
English name - Giraffe
Parquance detachment (Artiodactyla)
Giraffe family (Giraffidae)
There are 9 subspecies of the giraffe, in the zoo contain 2 of them:
Mesh Giraffe (Giraffa Camelopardalis Reticulata) - AREAL red
South African Giraffe (Giraffa Camelopardalis Giraffa) - Blue
Environmental status species
The giraffe is listed in the International Red Book, as a view that causes the least concerns - IUCN (LC).
View and man
Up to arrival in Africa Europeans, the giraffes lived in savannas almost the entire continent. The local population was hunted on them, but not active, and everything went into the case: the meat was used to eat, the shields were made of the skins, from the tendons - strings for musical instruments, from the hair brushes, bracelets. The first white settlers destroyed the giraffes mostly for the sake of the skins, from which they made the skin for the top of the bucket wagon, belts and beaches. Later, during safari, rich European hunters, having fun, killed many of these magnificent animals, and only tails with tassels served with trophies. As a result of such barbarism in the last century, the number of giraffes has declined almost twice.
Currently, there are few giraffes, however, their number in the central part of Africa continues to decline mainly due to the destruction of natural landscapes.
Giraffe is a peace-loving animal, it perfectly gets along next to the person and is one of the symbols of African savanna.
In the zoos of Egypt and Rome, long-haired animals appeared about 1500 years before. e. In London, Paris and Berlin, the first giraffes fell in the 20s of the XIX century, and they were taken on sailing ships and looked through Europe. From bad weather, the animals were covered with special cloaks, and leather sandals were put on their feet, so that they did not erase their hoofs. Now the giraffes are contained in almost all major zoos of the world and well multiply in captivity.
Area and habitats
African continent. Live south of Sahara in Savannah and rare-resistant dry forests.
Appearance, features of morphology and physiology
The appearance of the giraffe is so unique that it is not confused with what other animals: a relatively small head on a disproportionately long neck, showing back, long legs. Giraffe is the highest of now living mammals: height of it from the ground to the forehead reaches 4.8-5.8 m, height in the withers - 3 m, while the length of the body is only 2.5 m! The mass of the adult male is about 800 kg, the females are smaller, and weigh 550-600 kg. On the forehead and in males and females, small horns covered with wool. Usually there is one pair, but sometimes two. In the middle of the forehead, many giraffes have a small bone growing, resembling an additional unpaid horn.
Coloring animals in different parts of the range varies greatly, which served as the basis for the allocation of 9 subspecies for zoologists. However, even within one subspecies it is impossible to find two completely equally painted giraffes: a spotted drawing is unique as a fingerprint. Young animals are always a bit lighter old. Spots scattered over the body of the giraffe mimic the game shadows and lights in wood crowns and perfectly mask giraffes among the trees.
At first glance, externally awkwardly, the giraffes are actually well adapted to life in Savannah: they see and perfectly hear.
Giraffes are usually moving in a smooth step, internally (in motion first are both right, then both left legs). Only in case of extreme necessity, the giraffes go to clumsy, as if a slow gallop, but withstand such an allyur for no more than 2-3 minutes. The jumping giraffe constantly like deeply nods, bowing at every jump, because he can simultaneously tear up both front legs from the ground, just throwing back the neck and head and shifting, so the center of gravity. Looks like an animal while running extremely clumsily, but speed develops up to 50 km / h.
For a long time, the giraffe, due to the unusual body structure, represented a mystery for physiologists. The heart of this animal is 2 m above the hoofs and almost 3 m below the head. This means that, on the one hand, there is a significant pole of blood on the vessels of the legs, which would have to lead to legged edema, on the other hand, there are significant efforts to lift blood to the brain. How does the giraffe organism cope with these problems? The lower part of the animal limbs is pulled by a thick layer of subcutaneous connective tissue, which forms a dense stocking, which is pressed on the walls of the vessels outside. The powerful giraffe heart creates a pressure of 300 mm Hg. Art., Which is 3 times higher than a person. When approaching the brain, due to gravity forces, the bloodstream pressure is reduced, and in the head of the giraffe is maintained at the same level as other mammals. When the head of the giraffe is raised, the valves located in the jugular vein, prevent too fast blood outflow. When the giraffe lowers his head, and the brain turns out to be 2 meters below the heart, the pressure in it remains the same (90-100 mm Hg. Art.) Thanks to the original structure of the vessels. The valves in the walls of the metering veins prevent the blood return to the brain, and the special network of elastic arteries, located at the base of the skull, delays it when approaching the brain.
The long neck of the giraffe creates a greater breathing problem, they are forced to breathe more often than it could be expected from such large animals: the breathing rate of an adult giraffe, which is at rest, reaches 20 sighs per minute, whereas a person is only 12-15.
Lifestyle and social organization
Giraffes - day animals. Usually they feed in the morning and in the second half of the day, and the hottest hours spend apart, standing in the shadow of acacia. At this time, the giraffes chew a gum, their eyes are semi-shot, but the ears are in constant motion. Real sleep at the giraffes at night. Then they lay on the ground, pouring the front legs and one of the rear, and the heads put on the other back leg, elongated to the side (the stretched back leg allows the giraph to quickly rise in the case of a danger approaching). The long neck is at the same time curved back like the arch. This dream is often interrupted, animals get up, then fall again. The total duration of complete deep sleep in adult animals is amazingly small: it does not exceed 20 minutes in all night!
More often giraffes are found by groups. Adult females, teenagers and young people are combined into groups whose number rarely exceeds 20 individuals. The composition of such associations is inconsistent, animals join or leave them at their request, a durable connection is observed only between females and their restless babies. In open spaces, animals are more likely to form groups when they graze in the forests - dispersed.
Group sizes also depend on the season of the year. In the midst of the dry season, when the feed is smaller, the giraffes are dissipated by savannah small group, at most 4-5 individuals. On the contrary, in the rainy season, when it is easier to feed, 10-15 animals are combined.
Adult males are actively moving, overcoming up to 20 km per day in search of susceptible females, and often be in solitude. The largest male on this territory seeks to monopolize access to females. If he is on the way to another male, the dominant takes a characteristic posture with an elongated vertically neck and tense front legs exhibited towards the opponent. If he does not think to be returned, the match begins, where the main weapon is the neck. Animals cause each other sonorous shocks, aiming them in the enemy's belly. The defeated animal retreats, the dominant pursues a loser at a distance of several meters, and then freezes in a victorious pose with a tail back.
Food and Feed Behavior
The giraffes graze 12-14 hours a day, preferring a dawn or timeline when the heat is not so strong. They are called "plumps", since the giraffes of foliage, flowers, young shoots of trees and shrubs feed, finding themselves to feed at a height of 2 to 6 meters. Behind the grass, they lean in exceptional cases when young piglets are buoyed after rich rains. In whatever part of Africa, giraffes are embarrassed, they prefer acacia, a diverse menu of another 40-60 species of wood plants. The harsh periods of drought giraffes are experiencing, drinking tight leaves of drought-resistant plants, as well as fallen leaves and dry pods of acacias.
Giraffes have a unique oral apparatus. The lips are equipped with long hairs, on which information about the presence of spines and the degree of maturity of the leaves arrive on the nervous channels into the brain. The purple giraffe language, flexible, strong and extremely movable, reaches a length of 46 cm. With a flock, he slipped past the spikes, turns around with a groove, wrapped around branches with the youngest and delicious leaves and pulls them up to the top lip. The inner edges of the lips are covered with papillars that help the animal to hold the right plant in the mouth: the giraffe cuts its lower jaws. The smooth branches giraffe stretches through the mouth, where there is free space between the premolars and fangs (diasthemia), breaking all the leaves with lips.
Like other ruminants, the giraffes increase the digestibility of their feed by repeated chewing. In addition, they have a unique ability to chew food, being in motion, which allows them to significantly increase the pasta time.
Eating a giraffe is relatively a bit for its growth. Adult males absorb about 66 kg of fresh greenery every day, females - about 58 kg.
Since the food of giraffes is 70% consists of water, they do not need a frequency water, but if clean water is available, they drink it with hunting. In some places, the giraffes eaten the land, felt the lack of mineral salts in the body.
Special attention deserves the relationship between giraffes and acacias - their main feed. Within millions of years, the evolutionary "arms race" was between them, during which both parties developed adaptation and counterattatration. On the one hand, sharp spines, spikes and hooks, as well as the high content of tannins - poisonous substances having a sharp taste. On the other hand, a virtuoso language, very thick saliva, special substances secreted by the liver and the ability to recognize the leaves in which the concentration of poisonous substances is highest. And the Black Acacia specially beloved with giraffes adapted to even multiply with giraffes! At the end of the arid season, acacia is covered with creamy and white flowers, which cannot leave indifferent giraffes for which these flowers are a very attractive source of nutrients. Black acacia leaves are protected by sharp spikes, but the flowers are defenseless. Giraffes, entering these delicacies at an altitude of 4 meters, each time they drink their heads and neck pollen and distribute it to dozens of trees, passing the day to 20 km. Thus, for acacia, the loss of parts of flowers and buds is compensated by the spread of pollen and the giraffes guaranteed by the giraffes of the remaining flowers.
Vocalization
For a long time it was believed that the giraffes are deprived of voices. But in fact, they have a completely normal voice apparatus, and they can produce a whole range of diverse sounds. In case of danger, the giraffes are soring, releasing air nostrils. The males emit a sapper cough or a growl excited or clutched with the opponent. It happens that adult giraffes, reaching the top of the excitement, are loudly roar. Frightened cubs are fine and shouting out, not sprinkling lips.
Reproduction and cultivation of offspring
Giraffes have no definite breeding season. Adult males are moving from one group of another, sniffing females and determining their willingness to mate. The largest and strong males participate in reproduction. Pregnancy at the giraffes lasts more than a year (15 months), after which one cub is born, twins are extremely rare. The kid with an increase in about two meters and weighing 70 kg falls at birth from a two-meter height, since the female does not lie down during childbirth. It can retire behind the trees, but far from the group does not leave. Like all ungulates, a newborn, a few minutes after the appearance, it tries to stand on the legs, and after half an hour, the maternal milk is already trying. The girafenok develops quickly, and in a week he already runs and jumps no worse than an adult animal. At the age of two weeks, the baby begins to try vegetable food, but Mother feeds his milk for a whole year. She selflessly protects the cub from Lviv and Hyen, but, nevertheless, about half of the giraffes during the first year of life become prey to predators.
Baby leave mother at the age of about 16 months.
The giraffe female takes on the light of the first cub when she is 5 years old. If the conditions are favorable, it will bring offspring every 18 months until 20 years. The males begin to multiply at an older age.
Life expectancy
In captivity, the giraffes live up to 25 years (record-28 years), in nature - less.
Giraffes in the Moscow Zoo
On the old territory of the zoo, there is a "house of giraffe", where everyone lives - Samson Gamletovich Leningrads lives. This is the only animal in the zoo with such a full name. Samson was born in the Leningrad Zoo in 1993 (hence the surname) and came to us at a three-year-old age. Good-natured, peace-loving, he gladly communicates with people.
The most beloved Samson food is the leaves of the willow, which he comes with branches, highly suspended in the aviary. Hay, or grass he eats from a feeder, which is also located on a four-meter height. Even its autotrophilka is raised by 2 meters. Feed Samson 3 times a day: in the morning he gets hay, branches and about 3 kg of Hercules. During the day they give juicy foods: vegetables and fruits (potatoes, carrots, beets, apples, bananas), which are necessarily cut, otherwise the animal may be suppressed. Samson first of all chooses bananas, apples and carrots, but in the evening it eats everything. At night, add the hay to the feeder and give branches again. The branches are placed in the indoor room, so sometimes, having come in the evening in the zoo, Samson can not be seen in the street aviary - he left there his beloved Wavy.
Starting from late autumn and before spring, about once a month, Samson arrange souls - watered with water from the hose. He is very enlivened - it runs on an element, ridiculously throwing his long legs. Summer Samson washes under the rain: he likes a warm rain, but during the shower he hurries to hurry under the roof.
Samson belongs to the meaning of the mesh giraffes, and in the new territory of the zoo in the pavilion "Uncoat Africa" \u200b\u200byou can see the giraffe of another, South African subspecies who came from Kenya. In summer, the animal walks in the fresh air, and in the winter it contains indoors. This female, its routine of the day is the same as at Samson, but she was born on the will and therefore not so sociable (trusting) with people. Most of the time she spends from their feeders, but sometimes she grabs herbs growing in the glade. In this case, the long and long animal widely spreads the front legs and ridiculously squat. To Zebram and Ostrichich - the neighbors on the Wolter, it refers very peacefully, and sometimes even plays with them, arranging small jogs.
The highest animal on the planet - Giraffe, whose distant ancestors appeared on Earth, lives in the satched Sun of African Savannans, whose distant ancestors appeared on Earth about 20 million years ago. The giraffes are known thanks to exceptionally long necks, but they received their name through bright color and Arabic word "infection", which means "elegant".
Giraffe in savannah.
What is giraffe growth and how much is the highest mammal in the world weigh? Why does Zhiraf have such a long neck? What feeds the giraffe in Savannaps Africa? How do giraffes sleep and what are their enemies? Answers to these questions may be interesting for both children and adults.
Where lives giraffe: Area today and millions of years ago
During dinosaurs, the giraffes were distinguished by a large species diversity and dwell throughout Africa, as well as in the territories of modern Europe and Asia. About 2 million years ago, in the period of sharp cooling, most species extinced. It was possible to survive the only giraf, which we know it today and more like Zebrova Zebra. Together, these two animals form a giraffic family.
Modern classification has 9 subspecies of giraffes that differ in the distribution area and pattern. The pattern on the skins of each giraffe is unique as the fingerprints of a person. Especially interesting, the pattern of a mesh giraffe formed by dark polygonal stains in the frame of narrow white bands, which seems to be that the animal body is covered with a grid.
To the rare, disappearing subspecies include:
- nubian Giraffe, whose population has less than a thousand individuals, remained in the east of South Sudan and in the south-west of Ethiopia;
- west African Giraffe almost extinct, no more than 200 copies occur only in Niger;
- giraffe Cordofan is extremely small subspecies living in the Central African Republic and in the west of Sudan;
- ugandan Giraffe, he also giraffe Rothschild numbers no more than 700 animals preserved in Uganda and Kenya.
The remaining subspecies relate to vulnerable, and their total number is about 100 - 150 thousand individuals:
- south African Giraffe - the most numerous subspecies, whose Area covers Savannah Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe;
- giraffe Tornychopte lives in Zambia;
- angolan giraffe lives in Botswana and Namibia;
- masay Giraffe meets in Tanzania and Kenya;
- the net giraffe is distributed in the south of Somalia and in the northern regions of Kenya.
The extinction of modern giraffes is exclusively the merit of a person who began to exterminate animals in antiquity. At first they were killed for the sake of beautiful skins and edible meat, in the 20th century hunting at the highest mammals became popular entertainment.
Giraffe language. Giant growth and this amazing neck
The cubs of the giraffes appear to be quite high, their average growth is about 1.8 m with a body weight of 50 kg. The females give birth to standing, and despite the fall from the 2-meter height of the giraffen, after an hour rises on his feet and begins to run in his first birthday.
Gigantic growth of giraffes reach 6 years: adult males grow to 5.5 - 6.1 m with body weight from 900 to 1200 kg. A third of the length of animals is neck, but such giraffes were not always. Their ancient ancestors had the same massive physique, but their necks were much shorter. After global extinction, the only giraffe remained on Earth began to lengthen the neck as a survival tool in conditions of fierce competition for food. After all, the foliage of the trees is what the giraffe feeds, it grows high above the ground, outside the zone of reaching other animals.
According to another version, the long neck of modern giraffes is the result of the ritual fights of males for the female, when rivals are fighting their heads in each other's neck. Longly the male always wins, it becomes interesting for females and, accordingly, produces longer descendants who have every chance to secure a full-fledged diet.
Giraffe for water. What eats giraffe
Dry African savannahs are not distinguished by a variety of flora, but there is growing the main power supply of giraffes - Acacia Nilskaya, a tree shrub, a height of up to 6 m. Long branches of the plant thick covered with piping leaves and hooked spikes, but it does not interfere with giraffes safely eat beloved food in huge quantities .
To be saturated, adult giraf is needed up to 30 kg of green mass per day, and the juicy leaves fully satisfy the need of animals in food and water. The giraffe pulls muscular tongue, up to 45 cm long, cleverly wars the branch and pluck leaves, pulling her head back. At the same time, the particular structure of the oral apparatus allows you to eat on prickly branches completely painlessly. And only in the devious, the giraffes have to be low and pinch the grass.
Giraffe with a cub. They rarely drink giraffes, once a few weeks, but they drink about 38 liters of water immediately. There are widespread legs on the water animals and lowered their heads low, but they start drinking, only making sure of their safety. Even lions and leopards do not seek to attack adult giraffes, deadly blows of the front hoofs easily deal with each enemy. However, up to 50% of young individuals become victims of predators, although females protect the offspring to one and a half years.
Giraffes are vulnerable to water and during sleep when resting standing or lying, putting a bent one's neck. To sleep, this amazing animal is enough from 10 minutes to 2 hours a day, and all the rest of the time the giraffes are slowly roaming in search of beloved acacia.
In African savannas, the giraffe can live to 25 years, in zoos, animal life increases for another 10 years.
Giraffe: Interesting Facts, photos and a brief description for drawing up a report or presentation for children 2-3-4 classes.
Territory of habitat
Giraffe is the highest representative of the animal world. Live giraffes in Savannah Africa. According to human fault, their considerable part was exterminated, so today they can not be found more north of Sahara. Reserves and reserves to date have become places of their largest cluster.
Appearance
First of all, the giraffes is characterized by its growth and color. Its growth on average reaches 5.5 meters. The horse is covered with characteristic dark brown spots. The giraffe has a long neck, there are two woolen horns with a length of 20 centimeters each. The weight of an adult is an individual is about 900 kilograms. The eyes of the Giraffe are black, with very thick eyelashes. Also, the giraffe is present small on its body sizes, which resembles a brush.
Reproduction and life expectancy
The giraffe female does not wear a kid about 14-15 months old. The young giraffe is born with a weight of 50 kilograms and with an increase of 1.5 meters. An hour after the appearance of a young girl becomes legs. Already quite soon the kid will be ready to run. The first 13 months mother's mother's milk. However, starting from a two-week age, a small giraffe can use vegetable food.
In the wild, the giraffes live approximately 25 years.
Behavior and nutrition
Giraffes of exclusively vegetable origin feed. Their growth allows you to easily reach the highest branches of trees. It is much harder to giraf to eat plants from the ground. He is very difficult to lean. It also concerns the drain process. Adult giraf daily need to drink at least 35 liters of water.
Living giraffes prefer in small groups or a single way. In case of danger, this "dimensional" animal can develop speed up to 55km / h. Predators rarely show interest in giraffes, since the second is able to answer the offender.
One of the most interesting inhabitants of African Savannah - Giraffe. This is the highest animal on the planet. His growth reaches 6 meters, that is, it is higher than a two-story house. Giraffes live only in Africa. The report will tell more about them.
general description
Giraffe with growth of 6 meters weighs up to 2 tons. Larger on the planet elephant, rhino and hippopotamus. Giraffe has a long neck - as much as 1.5 meters! Like other mammals, she has 7 verteons, only they are very elongated.
Most giraffes cough But sometimes there are animals with 4 and even with the 5th horns on the head. Its yellowish-red skin is decorated with dark brown rounded spots. In Africa, not to find 2 identical giraffes. The skin of each painted in its own way and individual, Like fingerprints of man.
These animals of Africa have very expressive eyes with dense black eyelashes.
Lifestyle
Giraffes are not very tied to each other. Let's graze alone or small group of 4-10 heads. Sometimes a herd is a number of 20-30 individuals. Their main food - the leaves of trees, Especially love broken acacia. Giraffes are difficult to tilt the neck, so they are hungry the grass only in hungry times. On the food at the highest mammal on Earth leaves for 20 hours a day! On the day he eats 30-40 kg of greenery. He sleeps only 1-2 hours lying on Earth.
Without water, the giraffe can even longer than camel. But at once drinks 40 liters.
This is very peace-loving animal, Fights between them happen extremely rare.
Giraffes are able to walk only on solid plain and only in two ways: a gallop, throwing forward 2 front legs first, then 2 rear, or internship, rearranged 2 left legs at once, then 2 right.
Enemies have such a large animal: lion, leopard, tiger. Saved giraffe flight, developing speed up to 60 km / h, But maybe enter the fight with the predator. The powerful blow of the hoof the giraffe is able to break the skull of the lion.
In the wild, these guineourflies live 30 years old, in captivity survive up to 40 years.
Reproduction
The female can become a mother from 4 years of age. The marriage period of animals falls on the rainy season. Pregnancy lasts 1.5 years. Is always only one kid weighing 50-70 kg and tall under 2 meters appear. In an hour later, he rises on his thin legs, and after two ripples.
The female feeds the giraffe milk. At the age of 2-3 weeks, the kid is already able to extract his feed, but the mother sucks 1.5 years.
Female giraffes are very good mothers. They jealously protect their cubs from all the dangers that are in themselves.
- Giraffe in the literal the biggest heart on earth. It weighs 10-12 kg and at once passes through itself 60 liters of blood.
- An animal language is completely black and has a half-meter length. Giraffes lick in tongue like domestic cats.
- They are able to jump over the obstacle with a height of 2 meters.
- The female gives birth to standing, and the newborn girafenok falls on the ground from a 2-meter height.
- Giraffe grows up to 6 years.
- When an animal is galloped, his long neck is dull from side to side, describing the eight. It seems that it can ride a node.
- Previously, scientists thought that the giraffes were silent. Just recently turned out that they "Talk together" among themselves, but silently for the human ear.