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GÝRAFFE
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Giraffes are the world's tallest land mammals. They browse at the tops of trees and have no competition for this food supply. Their long 18 inch tongues are used to grasp leaves. The word reticulated describes their net-like pattern of markings. Each giraffe has its own unique pattern. The giraffe's long neck has the same number of neck vertebrae (7) as most mammals, but they are greatly elongated. To compensate for the sudden increase in blood pressure when they lower their heads. giraffes have extremely elastic blood vessels and special valves in the veins of the neck to control the rush of blood to the head. Without this adaptation, the increase in blood pressure would cause the giraffe to faint. The giraffe's scientific name, camelopardalis, is the Latin version of cameleopard. When they were first brought to Rome in 46 B.C., they were thought to be as big as a camel, with spots like a leopard. Although we've long since learned the giraffe is not a combination of these animals, the name stuck. Giraffes browse (eat leaves) almost exclusively. When feeding, male giraffes stretch their necks to eat higher vegetation, while females eat lower vegetation. This reduces competition for food between the sexes. Bulls establish their position with other bulls through neck wrestling or necking. Their necks slowly intertwine, pushing from one side to the other. This may escalate to head butting, but serious fighting is rare.
RANGE: Africa south of the Sahara
HABITAT: Open woodland and wooded grassland
FOOD: Leaves and shoots of trees and
YOUNG: One calf born every 14 or 15 months