How far can giraffes turn their necks?

How far can giraffes turn their necks?

In fact, each giraffe neck vertebra may be as long as 10 inches (25 centimeters) [source: San Diego Zoo]. As you can guess, that doesn’t exactly make for a light load to tote. Stack up those seven blocks of bone and toss on a head, and we’re talking around 600 pounds (272 kilograms) of cargo [source: San Diego Zoo].

What did Darwin say about giraffes?

A Darwinian theory of evolution posits that it was through random variation that some giraffes had longer necks than others. Thanks to their long necks, they were able to reach leaves high up in the trees in their environment.

How the giraffe evolved a long neck?

The standard hypothesis, which is an extension of the argument Darwin outlined in 1872, is that competition for food drove the evolution of elongated necks. Giraffes can feed at a variety of levels, and this ability to reach high during times of tough competition certainly provides them with an advantage.

How did the giraffe develop such a long neck?

In short, giraffes’ long necks are the result of generation upon generation of repeated stretching and inheritance. Instead he argued that the giraffe’s neck results from repeated “natural selection”. Long-necked giraffes were more likely to survive hard times than their short-necked rivals.

How many ossicones does a giraffe have?

Both male and female giraffes have two distinct, hair-covered horns called ossicones. Male giraffes use their horns to sometimes fight with other males.

How big is the neck of a giraffe?

With a distance of 6 feet between heart and brain, giraffes should seemingly suffer the symptoms of hypertension as a result of their blood’s relentless uphill climb. They don’t. With a roadblock of a neck about 6 feet long and weighing a whopping 600 pounds, how do giraffes get blood dispersal from heart to brain so right?

How does a giraffe balance on its feet?

When walking, the giraffe moves its legs on one side of the body, at the same time relying on the forward and backward motion of its neck and head for balance. Giraffes use their feet as a defense mechanism against predators by throwing enormous kicks with their front or hind feet.

Why did giraffes evolve to have long necks?

Fossil evidence shows that, once upon a time, giraffes had much shorter necks. But how and why they grew longer over millions of years is still a mystery. There are two main camps. The first is what you’re probably thinking – that a long neck helps a giraffe reach higher foliage than its competitors.

How big is the tongue of a giraffe?

Giraffes’ tongues can stretch as far as 18 inches (46 centimeters) to snag even the highest hanging leaf [source: San Diego Zoo ]. In regard to the long neck, scientists continue to scratch their heads about the exact evolutionary path the animal’s ancestors took to instigate such a unique adaptation.