2. Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Predators and Prey
3. Food Chain
4. Body
1. Legs
2. Necks
3. Horns
5. Behaviors
6. Species
7. Weight, Height, and Life span
8. Reproduction
9. Communication
3. Introduction
Giraffes are the tallest mammal to ever roam
the earth and they still are now. Giraffes are
herbivores who mostly eat the trees in plains in
Africa. They are peaceful creatures who roam
the fields all day long escaping from predators
or just running around enjoying life. They have
been gifts from kings to other kings for hundred
years because of their great height and beauty.
4. Predator and Prey
Giraffes are herbivores which shows they don’t
have prey but they do eat plants, most of the
time, Giraffes eat the leaves of the tree called
the Acacia. This tree has lots of sharp thorns
which will cut most animals’ tongues but the
Giraffes have long and thick tongues that make
it hard to get pierced. The Giraffes only predator is
the African Plain Lion which rarely ever attack a
grown Giraffes because of the risk of injury.
6. Body
The body of a Giraffe is very strong and lean so
they could get their food and get away from
predators like a lion or a poacher. The most
unique thing about giraffes that get them
noticed are their necks. The long necks are so
strong they could knock a Lion down.
7. 1.Legs
Giraffe legs are powerful limbs, with one blow,
it could break a lions cranium or spine. A
Giraffes front legs are about 10% longer than
the hind legs which allows them to run (gallop)
for a longer distance. The toes of a Giraffe are
even. Giraffes can gallop up to 60 km an hour
because of their powerful legs.
8. 2.Necks
A Giraffe’s neck is very long and lean and
believe it or not, they have the same number of
neck bones as a human has. Males use these
necks in necking contests to win the female in
which they will mate. They also use these long
necks to reach the good tasting leaves at the
top of trees. The necks also have some
chemicals on its fur to give off some sexual
attractions to females in the area.
9. 3.Horns
The Giraffe uses its horns to ram fruits of trees
sometimes and these horns is mostly for telling
apart sex of each Giraffes by Giraffes. Female
Giraffes have smaller horns and don’t have a
calcium deposit like males. Males have larger
horns and there males usually develop calcium
deposits as they are older for an unknown
Reason.
10. Behaviors
Lots of males neck and fight each other over
females and this could end up really fatal
because of the great powerful kicks that they
give each other can break each others legs. This
would result in Giraffes being not able to move
and getting eaten by predators like Lions.
11. Reproduction
When a calf is born, it is born alive unlike some
other animals that are born in eggs (fish
mostly). Within a few hours, the calf that was
born could run around and play but for the first
2-3 weeks, calf stay close to their mothers so
they don’t get eaten. Pregnancy for a Giraffe is
about 400 days, so more than a year.
Unfortunately, only 25% to 50% of the calves
make it to adulthood.
13. Weight, Height, and Life
Span
A male Giraffe is about 1200 lbs and a female is
about 85o lbs. Giraffes are mostly 14 ft to 17 ft
tall but the tallest recording ever was 20 ft.
Normally , a Giraffe would live for 20 to 25 years
but if it was held captive, it would live to about
28 years.
14. Communication
Giraffes communicate by mostly necking but
sometimes with body odor to attract or distract
from other Giraffes. When necking, sometimes
it means a hug but sometimes it is a fight.
