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    Giraffe

    Giraffa camelopardalis

    It is the world's tallest land mammal and the largest ruminant
    01

    Where are they located?

    Giraffes are primarily found in southern and eastern Africa, with smaller, isolated populations in west and central Africa. They are found in 21 African countries and appear to have gone extinct in at least seven others (Burkina Faso, Eritrea, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, and Senegal).

    02

    What is its habitat?

    Giraffes have adapted to a variety of habitats, from desert landscapes to forests and savannas.

    03

    Are they endangered?

    Giraffes are social and non-territorial. They form flexible herds of 10 to 20 individuals, depending on food and water availability.

    Giraffes do not have strong social bonds, except for mothers with their calves. Mothers gather in nursery herds and look after each other's calves while foraging to protect their babies from predators.

    Young males old enough to fend for themselves form bachelor herds. They will play and interact to try and figure out who is the strongest and most dominant in the group.

    Mature males leave their birth group and usually spend the rest of their lives alone, except during mating season.

    Males compete with each other for dominance and mating opportunities. They fight using their necks and heads as weapons.

    Are they endangered?

    Giraffe populations have suffered a dramatic 36-40% decline in the last 30 years and are considered vulnerable to extinction.

    These are the main factors that have led to this decline:

    • Habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation due to human population growth, which goes hand in hand with the expansion of agricultural and livestock activities. Also due to mining activities and uncontrolled logging.
    • Illegal hunting for meat and skin.
    • Armed conflicts.
    • Drought conditions are becoming more frequent. This situation increases the risk of wildfires and human population movements (sometimes into protected areas).
    • Diseases such as anthrax and rinderpest.
    • Car and train accidents outside protected areas.

    Most of these factors have not ceased and may not be reversible for the entire species.

    Since giraffes are distributed throughout Africa and live in national parks and state reserves as well as on private and communal lands, conservation actions are not an easy task. However, these must include environmental management and protection through law enforcement and community-based conservation initiatives.

    Assessed by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as Vulnerable (2016).
    Giraffa camelopardalis
    Jirafa image 3

    Donation

    10% of the selling price of this tubular scarf goes to the environmental NGO Giraffe Conservation Foundation.

    For more information about the work of the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, please visit this page.

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    Did you know…?

    The Romans believed that giraffes were a combination of a camel and a leopard. This is where the name of the species Giraffa camelopardalis comes from!

    The word "giraffe" is thought to come from the Arabic word "Zarafa," which means "fast walker."

    A giraffe's pattern is like one of our fingerprints. It's a unique identifier for each animal.

    They can run as fast as 55 km/h over short distances and comfortably cruise at 15 km/h over longer distances.

    Oxpecker birds ride on giraffes, removing ticks and other parasites from their skin. There is a mutually beneficial relationship between giraffes and oxpeckers.

    A giraffe's kick can be lethal. It can kill a lion!

    Giraffes and camels have a different gait in which they move both legs on one side of the body and then both legs on the other side.

    The umbilical cord breaks when the newborn drops to the ground.

    Giraffes do not have front teeth in their upper jaw.

    Historically, this species has been overlooked in terms of research and conservation, but significant progress has been made in recent years.

    Frequently asked questions
    How do they recognize each other?

    Giraffes are the tallest terrestrial mammal in the world. Males (called bulls) grow up to 5.3m and weigh 1,200 kg on average. Females (called cows) are smaller, growing up to 4.3m and weighing 830 kg on average.

    Giraffes have a steep slope from their shoulders to their rump, and a long tail with a black tuft at the end to swat away flies and other flying insects. Their legs are also long.

    Neck

    They have a very long neck with a short, erect mane. It is made up of seven cervical vertebrae, like humans; but they are larger and connect with ball-and-socket joints for greater flexibility. With the help of their long neck, giraffes can exploit foliage out of reach of all terrestrial browsers except elephants.

    Horns

    They have horn-like protuberances on their heads called ossicones. These are formed from ossified cartilage covered with skin and hair. Ossicones are thin and tufted in females, and thick and bald at the top in males, as a result of sparring with other males. Ossicones possibly play a part in thermoregulation.

    Some males develop calcium deposits on the top of their heads, which creates the illusion of the animal having more than two horns. The result is somewhat unsightly, but can be used to deliver heavier blows during fights with other males.

    Tongue

    Giraffes' tongues are approximately 45 cm long and highly prehensile (capable of grasping things). The tongue, along with a narrow muzzle and flexible upper lip, allows giraffes to successfully navigate the largest thorns of the acacia tree and strip off the leaves. The end of the tongue tends to be black to prevent sunburn, as it is out and exposed to the sun a significant portion of the time, and can be pink or purple near the top.

    Coat

    Both males and females have a spotted coat. Subspecies (and now species) differ slightly in coloration and patterns. Giraffe spots are primarily camouflage, but each spot also acts as a thermal window to release body heat. The skin pattern is similar to our fingerprints—it is a unique identifier for each animal and constant throughout the giraffe's life.

    Heart

    It was previously thought that giraffes had a very large heart, but recent research has revealed that there is no room. Instead, giraffes have a relatively small heart and its power comes from a very strong beat as a result of the incredibly thick walls of the left ventricle.

    Are there subspecies?

    There are currently nine recognized giraffe subspecies. However, more research is needed to confirm these new results and alter the updated classification.

    Traditional Classification

    • Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)Nubian Giraffe (c. camelopardalis) South Sudan and Ethiopia
    • Kordofan Giraffe (c. antiquorum) Central Africa
    • West African Giraffe (c. peralta) Niger
    • Reticulated Giraffe (c. reticulata) Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia
    • Masai Giraffe (c. tippelskirchi) Tanzania and Kenya
    • Angolan Giraffe (c. angolensis) Botswana and Namibia
    • South African Giraffe (c. giraffa) Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia
    • Rhodesian Giraffe (c. thornicrofti) Luangwa Valley and Zambia
    • Rothschild's Giraffe (c. rothschildi) Uganda and Kenya)

    Nevertheless, new findings propose that there are four species and five subspecies of giraffe.

    New Classification

    • Northern Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)
    • Nubian Giraffe (G. c. camelopardalis)
    • Kordofan Giraffe (G. c. antiquorum)
    • West African Giraffe (G. c. peralta)
    • Reticulated Giraffe (Giraffa reticulata)
    • Masai Giraffe (Giraffa tippelskirchi )
    • Southern Giraffe (Giraffa giraffa)Angolan Giraffe (G. g. angolensis)
    • South African Giraffe (G. g. giraffa)
    How do they behave?

    Giraffes are social and non-territorial. They form flexible herds of 10 to 20 individuals, depending on the availability of food and water.

    Giraffes do not have strong social bonds, except for mothers with their young. Mothers gather in nursery herds and care for each other's calves while foraging to protect their babies from predators.

    Young males who are old enough to care for themselves form bachelor herds. They will play and interact to try and figure out who is the strongest and most dominant in the group.

    Mature males leave the group where they were born and usually spend the rest of their lives alone, except for mating season.

    Males compete with each other for dominance and mating opportunities. They fight by using their necks and heads as weapons.

    How do they mate?

    Giraffes are polygamous, which means that dominant males generally mate with all fertile females in the herd.

    They reach sexual maturity at three to four years of age, although males cannot reproduce until they are six or seven years old, due to competition from larger males.

    Female giraffes go into estrus every two weeks throughout the year. Although giraffes do not have a specific mating season, breeding is more frequent during the rainy season, as they are under less stress and there is plenty of food to consume.

    The male smells the female's urine to determine her reproductive status. If things look promising, the male follows the female until she stops, indicating that the time is right. Finally, the male mounts the female from the rear and copulates with her.

    The gestation period lasts about 15 months. The interval between births is almost two years.

    When are they active?

    Giraffes spend most of their day feeding. The amount of time they spend foraging often increases during the dry season, as good quality food becomes harder to find, and they often have to travel further to meet their nutritional needs.

    Giraffes sleep for only a few hours a day. They usually rest while standing, although sometimes they can be seen lying down. When lying down, giraffes fold their legs under their body but mostly keep their neck elevated. Occasionally, they may sleep with their head resting on their trunk. This form of sleep only lasts for very short periods of time because it is an extremely exposed position.

    What do they feed on?

    Giraffes are herbivores and feed on leaves, stems, flowers, seeds, fruits and, rarely, grass. Their preferred foods are acacias and shrubs. Males typically feed with their necks and heads fully extended to reach higher branches than females.

    They are ruminants, like cattle or sheep. They quickly swallow food without chewing, so they are forced to spend a lot of time moving food between their four stomachs and mouth. Giraffes regurgitate the food they have swallowed, chew it, and finally swallow it again.

    If water is readily available, giraffes will drink often. They spread their front legs and/or bend their knees to allow their long necks to reach the water. However, in arid environments, giraffes absorb most of their moisture from the condensation that collects on leaves.

    About their young

    Giraffes give birth standing up, so calves are born falling to the ground from nearly two meters (six feet) high. Usually, only one calf is born; twins are rare but do occur.

    Newborn calves are able to walk after about an hour. They depend on their mother's milk for 9 to 12 months and begin to try solid foods at around four months of age.

    During the first few months after birth, calves are very vulnerable to being caught by predators. Scientists report that only 1/4 of calves survive to adulthood due to high rates of predation.

    After weaning, calves stay near the female for nearly two years. However, the period of independence varies between males and females. Females tend to remain within the herd, and males usually become independent.

    Do they have predators?

    Lions are the primary predators of giraffes. They are also vulnerable to leopards and hyenas, and to a lesser extent, cheetahs and crocodiles. Most predators target young, sick, or old giraffes. Additionally, humans pose a significant problem due to poaching.

    Giraffes defend themselves against predators by kicking with their long legs. They also run at a speed of 50 km/h for sustained periods.

    Communication and the Senses

    Giraffes communicate with each other using infrasonic sounds; that is, beyond the range of human hearing.

    Their vision is mainly based on their height. It allows them to maintain herd cohesion in the vast savannah and prevent surprise attacks from predators.

    They also have a good sense of smell.

    What is its life expectancy?

    The average life expectancy in the wild is 25 years.
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