 The Giraffe
Some animals, like an albatross, are
distinguishable by a single unique body part -- in this
case, wings. What stands out more than anything about a
giraffe is a quality, more than any particular part.
Everything about a giraffe is long. A giraffe is often
almost 19 feet tall, making it the tallest animal on
earth. Its legs alone are about six feet long. Its neck
is even longer. Even a giraffe's tongue is just about two
feet long.
What Else?
Of course, there are
characteristics about the giraffe that make it different
from other animals. Scientists used to believe that
giraffes made no sound, but recently they've discovered
that giraffes do make very quiet noises. The tan coat and
irregular brown spots that cover a giraffe are definitely
unusual, especially since no two giraffes have the same
pattern. A giraffe also has a mane that runs the length
of its neck, and horns and bumps upon its head. But
almost everything about a giraffe's life is determined by
its height.
Living, Eating, Drinking
Giraffes inhabit the grasslands
of Etosha, travelling in packs of about five members.
They eat grasses and from trees, using their necks to
reach for treasured leaves. To eat, a giraffe swallows
its food and then brings it back up to chew as cud, a
lump of semi-digested paste. Giraffes actually have four
stomachs, as cows do. It is not uncommon for a giraffe to
chew its cud for hours at a stretch. Interestingly, a
giraffe has the greatest chance of being attacked when it
is drinking at a water hole. Normally, giraffes absorb
most of the water they need from the food they eat. But
when a giraffe needs to drink from a pool, it has to
spread its legs wide so that its head can reach the
water. In this position, a giraffe is hardly a match for
an attacking lion.
Benefits of the High Life
Being tall helps a giraffe to
see long distances, which can be useful for watching for
predators. If a giraffe sees a dangerous animal -- like a
lion, perhaps -- it will gallop away before the animal
gets too near. Given its stilt-like legs, one might not
expect a giraffe to run very fast, but at top speed, it
can reach almost 35 miles per hour. Because they weigh
less, younger giraffes actually run more quickly than
adults do. An adult giraffe weighs in at about 3,000
pounds.
A Big Baby
How much does a baby giraffe
weigh? Compared to any other animal, a baby giraffe is a
giant, weighing 150 pounds and standing six feet tall
when it drops out of its mother's womb. When it's born, a
baby giraffe really does drop -- almost five feet to the
ground. Only 10 hours later, the baby will be running
with the other giraffes. Four or five years later, the
giraffe is considered an adult.
|
