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Giraffe

Giraffa camelopardalis

Description - Other Names - Distribution - Taxonomy

Quick stats

• Diet: - Herbivore
• Shoulder Height: - 3 m
• Weight: - Male - 1220 kg
• Weight: - Female - 900 kg
• Lifespan - 23 years

Description

Giraffe's have the most unusual appearance of all Africa's mammals. Their excessively long legs and neck allow them to feed on leaves and seed-pods of trees at a level where they have no competitors amongst the other major herbivores.

Their patchwork body-patterns vary slightly though individual colour differences may sometimes be very obvious, some having unusually dark body patches whilst others are very light. The differences do not indicate different species, but merely represent the normal variation found in every animal species.

Giraffe are susceptible to attack by lion, and many are killed each year. The great cats jump onto the back of a fleeing giraffe, grab a firm hold and bite into the neck. These giants, however, are not an easy prey as a kick from a distraught giraffe can kill or severely injure any careless predator.

They are frequently seen in the acacia savannahs.

Other Names

• Kameelperd

Distribution

Distribution map
of the
Giraffe

Taxonomy

• Order - Artiodactyla
• Family - Giraffidae
• Genus - Giraffa
• Species - Giraffa camelopardalis

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