Animal Unique | Giraffe | Giraffe is one of the largest living land animal and the largest ruminant. The specific name refers to the camel-like face, and the patches of color on his coat, which is a vague resemblance to a leopard spots of wear. Giraffes roam over large areas of bush and savannah areas, living often in semi-desert areas where they spend most of their water from their food. The giraffe's distribution range extends from Chad in the north to South Africa in the south, and Niger in the west to Somalia in the east.
Giraffes are one of the world's tallest mammals. They are known for their long necks, long legs, and mottled patterns. Despite his long neck and legs, the giraffe's body is relatively short. Located on both sides of the head, the giraffe's big, bulging eyes give good visibility to all sides of his great height. Giraffes see in color and their senses of hearing and smell are also sharp. The animal can close his muscular nostrils to protect against sand storms and ants. The jacket has dark stains or spots separated by the light hair. Each individual giraffe has a unique coat pattern. The coat pattern serves as camouflage, allowing it to blend into the light and shadow patterns of savanna woodlands.
Male giraffes are larger than females. And the front legs of a giraffe are slightly longer than its hind legs. The radius and ulna of the front legs are articulated by the carpus, which, although structurally similar to the human wrist, acts as a knee. Giraffes small "horns" or knobs on the top of their heads that grow to about five inches long. These buttons are used to protect the head in fights. Woman of the horns are thin and tufted, male's are thick and bald on top. A giraffe has only two corridors: walking and galloping. Is run by the movement of the legs on one side of the body at the same time, then the same on the other side. When galloping, the hind legs move around the front legs for the last step forward and the tail will curl.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Giraffidae
Genus: Giraffa
Species: G. camelopardalis
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Giraffidae
Genus: Giraffa
Species: G. camelopardalis
Giraffe has a very long neck. This extension is largely after birth, as giraffe mothers would have a difficult time with the birth of young neck the same proportions as adults. Giraffe head and neck are held by large muscles and nuchal ligament, which are anchored by the long dorsal spines on the anterior thoracic vertebrae, allowing the animal a bump. Although usually quiet, giraffes are not voiceless as the common myth leads us to believe, but instead can produce snorting or moaning noises, particularly when there is danger. They have a good sense of smell, hearing and good vision allowing them to see road miles.
Like camels, they are able to go long without a drink and usually every 2-3 days. In order to get a drink, they splay their front legs to reach the water. The same applies to the okapi, refute the idea that the giraffe's extra long neck and legs are the reason that they should in this way to drink. Female giraffes typically give birth to one calf after a fifteen months gestation. During the first week of his life, the mother carefully guards her calf. Young giraffes are very vulnerable and can not defend themselves. While mothers feed, the young are kept in small nursery groups. Male giraffes use their necks as weapons in the fight, a behavior known as "necking". A necking duel can last over half an hour, depending on how good agreement with the fighters. The winner will mount his opponent in a show of dominance.
Their long necks help giraffes eat leaves from tall trees, typically acacia trees. If necessary, giraffes can go for a few days without water. Instead of drinking, giraffes stay hydrated by the moisture from the leaves. However, they can fall prey to lions and regularly prey for them. Nile crocodiles can also be a threat to the giraffe as they stoop to drink. Calves are much more vulnerable than adults, and are also preyed upon by leopards, spotted hyenas and wild dogs. Some parasites feed on giraffes. They are often hosts for ticks, especially in the area around the genitals, which has thinner skin than other areas. Giraffes may rely on red-billed and yellow-billed oxpeckers to clean them of ticks and to warn them of danger. Giraffes host numerous species of internal parasites and are prone to various diseases.
Giraffes have the same number of bones in their neck as humans do. They are one of the few animals born with horns. A giraffe is one of the few animals that uses mostly its front legs as it runs. And Giraffe have 4 stomachs, like cows. Giraffes are hunted for their meat, fur and tail. The tail is praised for good luck bracelets, fly whisks and string for sewing beads. The coat is used for the shield coatings. Habitat destruction and fragmentation are also threats to giraffe populations.
Animal Unique