[Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata]
Habitat: Savannas and open woodlands
Height: 14-18′
Weight: Males 1,700-4,000 lbs Female 1,200-2,500 lbs
Max Lifespan: 28 years
Gestation Period: 15 months
Number of Young: 1
Horns: Male & Females
Conservation Status:Endangered
– Tallest animal in the world
– Can run at speeds up to 35 mph
– Spends 10-14 hours per day feeding
– Can eat 75 lbs. of vegetation per day
– The two bony growths on their head are called “ossicones”.
– Neck can grow to 8 ft. in length and weigh up to 500 lbs.
– Able to go weeks without water
– Typically sleeps from 1-20 minutes at a time
– Every giraffe has a unique pattern of spots, like a fingerprint
– Giraffes do not sweat or pant
– Unlike most other herd animals, giraffe herds have no leader
– Long, muscular, prehensile tongue enables giraffes to eat thorny foods
– Walks by swinging both legs on one side of the body forward at the same time
– Uses front legs to strike predators
– Male giraffes fight other males by striking them with the side of their head like a sledgehammer (males have extra bone deposits on their skull for this purpose