Table of Contents
What is the structure of a giraffe?
The most outstanding feature of the giraffe is its neck. The giraffe’s neck is 6 feet long and contains approximately 550 pounds of muscle, and yet it has only seven vertebrae — the same number of vertebrae as the human neck. However, the vertebrae are elongated, well-spaced and supported by very flexible joints.
What is the special part of giraffe?
Horns. Giraffe horns, called ossicones, are unique among mammals. At birth, all giraffes have knobs of cartilage on their skulls, covered by skin and hair. As the animals grow, their horns grow larger and turn into bone.
Which is the main source of giraffe?
acacia trees
As human populations grow and increase agricultural activities, expand settlements, and construct roads, the giraffe is losing its beloved acacia trees, which are its main source of food.
Does a giraffe have fur or hair?
Giraffes have short, dense fur with a unique pattern of dark patches that range from beige to chestnut brown. Although no two giraffe skin patterns are exactly the same, some regional patterns are so common and distinct that zoologists have identified a number of giraffe subspecies based on the patterns.
What are giraffe Antlers called?
ossicones
Giraffe ‘horns’ are not actually called horns, but ‘ossicones’ and both female and male giraffe have them. Ossicones are formed from ossified (hardened into bone) cartilage and are covered in skin.
Where is the heart of a giraffe?
It was previously thought that a giraffe had a really big heart, but recent research has revealed that there isn’t room in the body cavity for this. Instead, the giraffe has a relatively small heart and its power comes from a very strong beat as a result of the incredibly thick walls of the left ventricle.
What are the predators of a giraffe?
Lions, leopards, spotted hyenas and African wild dogs may prey upon giraffes. Giraffes live in herds of related females and their offspring, or bachelor herds of unrelated adult males, but are gregarious and may gather in large aggregations.
What is the habitat of a giraffe?
Habitat: Giraffes use both semi-arid savannah and savannah woodlands in Africa. Range: Giraffes are found in fragmented habitats scattered throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Breeding: Giraffe pregnancy usually lasts about 15 months, with two-year intervals between births.
What are the traits of a giraffe?
Giraffes have long legs and necks, long, tough, prehensile tongues, and leathery mouths for food gathering. Their coloration is protective. They are tall with good eyesight for watchfulness. Giraffes have high blood pressure (240/160) for pumping blood to the brain.
How many feet does a giraffe have?
Male giraffes range from 16-20 feet and female giraffes average 15 feet in height.
What makes giraffes unique?
Several things about a giraffe’s body are unique, to support its strange body structure. Giraffes have seven vertebrae in their necks, just like other mammals, but these vertebrae are extremely elongated, and separated with very flexible joints.
How long is a giraffe’s neck?
The giraffe has an extremely elongated neck, which can be up to 2–2.4 m (6.6–7.9 ft) in length, accounting for much of the animal’s vertical height. The long neck results from a disproportionate lengthening of the cervical vertebrae, not from the addition of more vertebrae.