Where do giraffes live in the savannah or jungle. Where giraffes live: continents and countries, lifestyle features and interesting facts

Our ancestors learned about the giraffe 40 thousand years ago. It was then that Homo sapiens began to explore. People have been familiar with this for a long time amazing creation confirmed by petroglyphs that are 12-14 thousand years old. The stones are located in the north-west of present-day Libya, on the slopes of Wadi Metkandush.

Not only African animals are carved on them, but also scenes of human interaction with them. For example: in one of the engravings a man is sitting astride a giraffe. It is difficult to say what this is: the artist’s imagination or evidence of attempts to domesticate these animals.

The contemporaries of Julius Caesar were probably the first citizens of a European state to see and appreciate the strange inhabitants of Africa. They were delivered to the cities of the Roman Empire by Arab traders. Several centuries later, the European public was able to get a good look at the giraffe. It was received as a gift by the Florentine Lorenze de' Medici. This was in the 15th century.

The next similar meeting of Europeans with an African miracle occurred 300 years later. In 1825, King Charles 10 of France received it as a gift from the Egyptian Pasha. Not only the overlord and courtiers were surprised giraffe, animal was demonstrated general public.

Carl Linnaeus included the giraffe in his classifier of animals in 1758 under the Latin system name Giraffa camelopardalis. The first part of the name comes from the distorted Arabic word “zarafa” (elegant).

The second part of the name literally means “leopard camel.” The unusual name of this amazing herbivore suggests that biologists had very superficial information about it.

Russian name, naturally, comes from Latin. For a long time it was used in feminine. Then feminine and masculine gender options became acceptable. IN modern speech used in masculine, although “giraffe” would also not be a mistake.

Giraffes can form huge herds with their neighbors

Description and features

Modern technology(television, Internet) makes it possible to get acquainted with this artiodactyl without leaving home. Giraffe in the photo or the video looks remarkable. First of all, the structure of the body is surprising. The body is equipped with a sloping back.

It turns into an excessively elongated neck, crowned with a small (relative to the body) head with horns. The legs are long, but not massive. At a speed of 55 kilometers per hour, they are capable of moving a creature whose weight sometimes exceeds a ton.

Adult giraffe height approaches 6 meters. The length of the neck is approximately a third of the total height, that is, 1.8-2 meters. Individuals of both sexes have small horns on their heads, sometimes not one, but two pairs. In front of the horns there may be an inert outgrowth, also resembling a horn.

Small ears indicate good hearing. Large, black eyes surrounded by shaggy eyelashes indicate excellent vision. Developed hearing and vision with high growth increase the chances of survival in Africa.

The most amazing part of a giraffe's body is its neck. To make it so long, nature provided the neck with seven (as it should be) vertebrae of a special size. They are elongated by 25 centimeters. Females do not differ in body structure from males, but they are 10-15 percent lower and lighter than males.

If the body sizes and proportions of all species and subspecies of animals are similar, then the pattern and color vary. The overall color of the skin is yellow-orange. There are spots of red, brown and transitional shades throughout the body. There is a subspecies whose pattern is more reminiscent of a grid than spots. Scientists say it is impossible to find giraffes with identical patterns.

The internal organs of the mammal match its external appearance: very large and not quite ordinary. The black tongue reaches half a meter in length. This is a flexible and powerful tool for grabbing branches and tearing down vegetation. The tongue is supported by a tenacious and mobile upper lip, covered with coarse hair to protect it from thorns.

The esophagus is equipped with developed muscles to transport food to the stomach and back. As with any ruminant, only repeated chewing can help normal digestion. The stomach, which has four sections, is oriented towards the ruminant method of digesting food. Giraffe, the tallest animal, has an intestine 70 meters long.

Species

In the Neogene period, having separated from deer-like animals, the ancestor of this artiodactyl appeared. Primitive settled giraffe in Africa, Asia and Europe. Not one, but several prehistoric species laid claim to further development. But in the Pleistocene, cooling began. Many large animals became extinct. Giraffidae have been reduced to two species: okapi and giraffe.

Scientists believe that giraffes began to elongate their necks in the late Pleistocene. Possible reasons This process is called the struggle between males for leadership and competition for food. Along with the neck, the legs lengthened and the body changed configuration. Bye adult giraffe height did not reach six meters. On this evolutionary process stopped.

IN modern look There are nine subspecies of giraffes.

• The Nubian giraffe is a nominate subspecies. It is on the verge of extinction. There are approximately 650 adult individuals in southeastern Sudan, South Sudan and western Ethiopia. This subspecies is named Giraffa camelopardalis camelopardalis.
• The number of West African giraffes is even smaller. Only 200 animals live in Chad. The Latin name of this subspecies is Giraffa camelopardalis peralta.
• There was a province of Kordofan in Sudan. On its territory one of the varieties of giraffe was found, which was named Giraffa camelopardalis antiquorum. Now this subspecies is observed in the south of Chad, in Cameroon.
• The reticulated giraffe lives in Kenya and southern Somalia. From the name it is clear that the pattern on the skin of a giraffe is more like a net than spots. This animal is sometimes called the Somali giraffe. Scientific name- Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata.
• Rothschild's giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi) lives in Uganda. The probability of its complete disappearance is quite high. All individuals of this subspecies are concentrated in Uganda and Kenya.
• Masai giraffe. Judging by the name, its habitat corresponds to the areas inhabited by the Maasai tribe. In Latin it is called Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi.
• Thornycroft's giraffe was named after the Rhodesian official Harry Thornycroft. This subspecies is sometimes called the Rhodesian giraffe. The name Giraffa camelopardalis thornicrofti was assigned to the subspecies.
• The Angolan giraffe lives in Namibia and Botswana. It is called Giraffa camelopardalis angolensis.
• The South African giraffe lives in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. It bears the system name Giraffa camelopardalis giraffa.

Pictured is a reticulated giraffe

The division into subspecies is well-established and is still used today. But the situation may change in the near future. For many years, there have been scientific disputes related to too great a difference between the representatives of the subspecies. Factual material was added to the scientific debate.

Scientists from Goethe University in Germany analyzed the DNA of the collected samples. And instead of one species, which we called giraffe, four appeared. They all have the common name “giraffe”, but the Latin names are different. Instead of one Giraffa camelopardalis, the following appear on the stage:

• northern giraffe(Giraffa camelopardalis),
• southern giraffe (Giraffa giraffa),
• Massai giraffe (Giraffa tippelskirchi),
• reticulated giraffe (Giraffa reticulata).

Four subspecies have upgraded their status to species. The rest remained subspecies. The introduction of a new classification, in addition to purely scientific significance, has a practical application. Now individuals that were part of one species are included in four different ones. The quantitative composition of the species decreases by at least four times. Which gives reason to intensify the fight for the preservation of the species.

Lifestyle and habitat

Giraffes love territory covered with thickets of acacia, African mimosa, apricot tree, and any other shrubs. In such areas you can find small herds of giraffes. 10-20 animals in total.

The backbone of the group is made up of females. Males can move from herd to herd or lead a bachelor, independent lifestyle. Recently, more complex social relationships have been documented. It turned out that giraffes interact not only within the community, but also with other herd formations located at a distance of one or more kilometers.

Groups can move in concert, unite for a while into larger herds, and then break up again.

At a watering hole, giraffes take the most vulnerable pose

All day long, a herd of giraffes wanders in search of food. Giraffes rest at night. They sit on the ground in a semi-recumbent position, bowing their head to their hind leg. After spending one to two hours on the ground, giraffes rise and take a short walk. Changing body position and warming up are necessary for the normal functioning of massive muscles. internal organs.

Animals fall asleep in this position

These are practically silent animals. But social way existence requires the exchange of information. Upon careful observation, it turns out that there are still sounds. Males make sounds similar to coughing.

Mothers call their calves by roaring. The young animals, in turn, moo, bleat, and snort. Infrasound is used to communicate over long distances.

Nutrition

Giraffes are artiodactyl herbivores. The basis of their diet is low-nutrient vegetation. IN progress is underway any greenery, flowers and leaves, located at a height of one and a half to more than two meters. They have few competitors in this food niche.

Like any herbivores, giraffes themselves are food. An adult healthy animal is in virtually no danger. Babies and sick individuals have many enemies. These are large cats, hyenas, and wild dogs.

Usually the herd lifestyle and the tendency to protect their fellow tribesmen help out. One blow from this giant's hoof can disable any predator.

Reproduction and lifespan

Giraffes are polygamous and do not form stable pairs. The male recognizes the female's readiness by smell and immediately tries to begin mating. The male proves his right to reproduce by engaging in single combat with rivals.

The main offensive means is head strikes. But, despite the power of the blows, deaths doesn't happen.

The female's pregnancy lasts 400-460 days. She gives birth to one calf, and occasionally twins are born. The height of the foal reaches 1.7-2 meters. After a few hours, he can already run and becomes a full member of the herd.

The giraffe has been successfully kept and bred in captivity. Like the most interesting zoo animal, giraffe always attracts the attention of the public. It still arouses no less interest among zoologists. When kept in captivity, he (giraffe) lives up to 20-27 years. In the African savannah its life is half as long.

In the scorched sun African savannas lives the tallest animal on the planet - the giraffe, whose distant ancestors appeared on Earth about 20 million years ago. Giraffes are known for their exceptionally long necks, but get their name from their bright colors and the Arabic word zarafa, which means smart.

Giraffe in the savanna.

How tall is a giraffe and how much does the tallest mammal in the world weigh? Why does a giraffe have such a long neck? What does a giraffe eat in the savannas of Africa? How do giraffes sleep and what are their enemies? The answers to these questions may be of interest to both children and adults.

Where does the giraffe live: range today and millions of years ago

During the time of dinosaurs, giraffes were distinguished by great species diversity and lived throughout Africa, as well as in the territories of modern Europe and Asia. About 2 million years ago, during a period of sharp cooling, most species became extinct. The only giraffe, as we know it today and more similar to the okapi zebra, managed to survive. Together these two animals form the giraffe family.

The modern classification includes 9 subspecies of giraffes, which differ in distribution and pattern. The pattern on each giraffe's skin is unique, like a person's fingerprints. Particularly interesting is the pattern of the reticulated giraffe, formed by dark polygonal spots framed by narrow white stripes, which makes it seem that the animal’s body is covered with a mesh.

Rare, endangered subspecies include:

• the Nubian giraffe, whose population numbers fewer than a thousand individuals, remains in eastern South Sudan and southwestern Ethiopia;
• the West African giraffe is almost extinct, no more than 200 specimens are found only in Niger;
• the Kordofan giraffe is an extremely small subspecies that lives in the Central African Republic and western Sudan;
• The Ugandan giraffe, also known as the Rothschild giraffe, numbers no more than 700 animals preserved in Uganda and Kenya.

The remaining subspecies are considered vulnerable, and their total number is about 100 - 150 thousand individuals:

• the South African giraffe is the most numerous subspecies, whose range covers the savannas of Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe;
• Thornycroft's giraffe lives in Zambia;
• the Angolan giraffe lives in Botswana and Namibia;
• the Masai giraffe is found in Tanzania and Kenya;
• The reticulated giraffe is common in southern Somalia and northern regions Kenya.

The extinction of modern giraffes is solely the merit of man, who began exterminating animals in ancient times. At first they were killed for beautiful skins and edible meat; in the 20th century, hunting for the most tall mammals has become popular entertainment.

Giraffe tongue.

Gigantic stature and that amazing neck

Giraffe cubs are born quite tall, their average height is about 1.8 m with a body weight of 50 kg. Females give birth while standing, and despite falling from a 2-meter height, the giraffe gets to its feet within an hour and begins to run on its first birthday.

Giraffes reach gigantic growth by the age of 6: adult males grow to 5.5 - 6.1 m with a body weight of 900 to 1200 kg. A third of the animals' length is the neck, but giraffes were not always like this. Their ancient ancestors had the same massive build, but their necks were much shorter. After a global extinction event, the only remaining giraffe on earth began to elongate its neck as a tool for survival in the face of fierce competition for food. After all, the foliage of trees - what the giraffe eats - grows high above the ground, out of the reach of other animals.

According to another version, the long necks of modern giraffes are the result of ritual fights between males for a female, when rivals butt their heads into each other’s necks. The longer-necked male always wins, becomes interesting to females and, accordingly, produces longer-necked offspring, who have every chance of providing themselves with a nutritious diet.

Giraffe at a watering hole.

What does a giraffe eat?

Dry African savannas are not distinguished by the diversity of flora, but the main source of food for giraffes grows there - Nile acacia, a tree-like shrub up to 6 m high. The long branches of the plant are densely strewn with feathery leaves and hooked thorns, but this does not prevent giraffes from safely eating their favorite food in huge quantities .

To get enough food, an adult giraffe needs up to 30 kg of green mass per day, and succulent leaves fully satisfy the animals’ need for food and water. The giraffe extends its muscular tongue, up to 45 cm long, deftly wraps it around a branch and plucks leaves, moving its head back. At the same time special structure mouthparts allow them to feed on thorny branches completely painlessly. And only when there is no food, giraffes have to bend low and pinch the grass.

Giraffe with baby.

Giraffes drink rarely, once every few weeks, but they drink about 38 liters of water at once. At a watering hole, animals spread their legs wide and lower their heads low, but begin to drink only after making sure of their safety. Even lions and leopards do not tend to attack adult giraffes; the deadly blows of their front hooves easily smash the head of every enemy. However, up to 50% of young individuals become victims of predators, although females protect their offspring for up to one and a half years.

Giraffes are vulnerable at watering places and during sleep, when they rest standing or lying down, placing their bent neck on their croup. To get enough sleep, these amazing animals need from 10 minutes to 2 hours a day, and the rest of the time giraffes wander leisurely in search of their favorite acacia tree.

In African savannas, a giraffe can live up to 25 years; in zoos, the life of animals increases by another 10 years.

It is the tallest land animal on the planet.

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✪ Giraffe has spots | Children's song about animals | Children's songs with movements for babies | Lyulyabi TV

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✪ "Giraffe". Nikolay Gumilyov. Melodeclamation

Subtitles

Children's song "The giraffe has spots" Songs for children with movements Children's channel Lyulyabi TV Giraffes have spots, spots, spots, spots everywhere. Giraffes have a lot of spots! There’s even one – on the beard! On the forehead, ears, neck, elbows, noses, bellies, knees and socks. On the forehead, ears, neck, elbows, noses, bellies, knees and socks. Elephants have folds, folds, folds, folds everywhere. Elephants have a lot of sweets! There’s even one – on the beard! On the forehead, ears, neck, elbows, noses, bellies, knees and socks. On the forehead, ears, neck, elbows, noses, bellies, knees and socks. Kittens have fur, fur, fur, fur everywhere. Kittens have fur all over them! There’s even some – and on the tail! On the forehead, ears, neck, elbows, noses, bellies, knees and socks. On the forehead, ears, neck, elbows, noses, bellies, knees and socks. And the zebra has stripes, there are stripes everywhere. And the zebra has stripes, there are stripes on his back! On the forehead, ears, neck, elbows, noses, bellies, knees and socks. On the forehead, ears, neck, elbows, noses, bellies, knees and socks. Giraffes have spots, spots, spots, spots everywhere. Elephants have a lot of sweets! There’s even one – on the beard! Kittens have fur all over them! There’s even some – and on the tail! And the zebra has stripes, there are stripes on his back! Kittens have fur all over them! There’s even some – and on the tail! Kittens have fur all over them! There’s even some – and on the tail! And the zebra has stripes, there are stripes on his back!

Characteristic

Male giraffes reach a height of up to 5.5-6.1 (about 1/3 of the length is the neck) and weigh up to 900-1200 kg. Females tend to be slightly smaller and lighter. Giraffes have an unusually long neck, despite the fact that they, like almost all other mammals, have only seven cervical vertebrae. Tall increases the load on the circulatory system, especially in relation to the supply to the brain. Therefore, giraffes have especially strong hearts. It passes 60 liters of blood per minute, weighs 12 kg and creates a pressure that is three times higher than that of a person. However, it would not be able to withstand the overload of the sudden lowering and raising of the giraffe's head. To ensure that such movements do not cause the death of the animal, the giraffe's blood is thicker and has twice the density of blood cells than that of humans. In addition, the giraffe has special shut-off valves in the great jugular vein, interrupting the flow of blood so that pressure is maintained in the main artery supplying the brain. The dark tongue of the giraffe is very long and muscular: the giraffe can protrude it up to 45 cm and is able to grab branches with it.

Giraffes live alone or in small herds that are not particularly attached to each other. The area they travel around in search of food can be up to 100 km². Social behavior depends on gender: females adhere to herds of 4 to 32 individuals, in which the composition changes from time to time. The hierarchical structures and behavior of giraffes in a herd are not yet fully understood. Giraffes do not have a single leader, but older and stronger males, called elders, have an advantage over others. Young males before reaching sexual maturity are also small separate groups, after which they begin to live alone. Giraffes often move with herds of antelopes or zebras, as this gives them greater safety. When two adult males meet, it often comes down to a ritual duel, in which they stand next to each other and try to headbutt the opponent’s neck. However, unlike other social animals, defeated male giraffes are not expelled from the herd. During mating periods, fights between males are more aggressive in nature and can reach such desperation that one of the competitors may eventually be “beaten” until he loses consciousness. An option for a showdown could be a duel near a tree, in which everyone tries to get around their opponent in such a way as to pin him to the trunk. There were no cases of giraffes using their dangerous front hooves against each other, as they usually do against predators.

It is widely believed that giraffes are voiceless animals. However, in reality they communicate with each other at frequencies below 20 Hz, inaudible to the human ear.

The mating season usually lasts from July to September, and the gestation period is 14-15 months. As a rule, only one cub is born. Birth occurs in a standing position, so the first thing a newborn will experience is a fall from a height of two meters. Immediately after birth, the baby giraffe reaches 1.8 m in height and 50 kg. After just an hour, the cub stands firmly on its feet and after a few hours begins to run. However, cubs are allowed into the herd only after two to three weeks. The offspring stays with the mother for about a year and a half. At the age of four the giraffe reaches sexual maturity, at the age of six it reaches full height. IN wildlife Life expectancy is about 25 years, in captivity about 35.

Due to its size, the giraffe has little natural enemies, and from those few predators that dare to attack him, he defends himself quite effectively with blows from his front hooves. Such a blow can crush the skull of any predator. In Etosha National Park, lions were once observed to jump on a giraffe and bite its neck. However, attacks on adult giraffes are still rare. More often, young animals become prey for lions, leopards, hyenas and wild dogs. Despite maternal protection, only 25-50% of young giraffes reach adulthood.

Giraffe and man

North African populations were already hunted in ancient times by the Greeks and Romans. Sometimes giraffes were even used for displays in the Colosseum. In general, the giraffe was little known in Europe. Although the constellation Giraffe exists in the northern hemisphere, it is a relatively new convention and has no mythological origin. In black Africa, giraffes were hunted by digging holes and traps. Their long sinews were used to string bows and strings musical instruments, clothing made from giraffe skin served as a symbol among many peoples high status. Giraffe meat is tough, but edible. The hunting of giraffes by African tribes has never reached a scale that could seriously threaten their numbers. With the arrival of white settlers, the main motive for hunting giraffes became entertainment, and the number of giraffes began to decline sharply. Today, giraffes are rare animals almost everywhere. Only in states East Africa Numerous populations still exist. The total number of giraffes is estimated at 110,000-150,000. There are about 13 thousand individuals in the Serengeti Nature Reserve. In general, giraffes are not considered a critically endangered species. Today they are kept in many large zoos around the world and successfully breed in captivity.

Based on their patterns and places of origin, giraffes are divided into subspecies. Crossbreeding is possible between individual subspecies. There are nine modern subspecies:

• Nubian giraffe (G. c. camelopardalis) is the nominate subspecies. Inhabits eastern Sudan, western Ethiopia
• Giraffa camelopardalis peralta Thomas, 1898 - Kenya to Angola, the country after which it was named.

  Initially, subspecies of giraffes were considered independent species. Then this point of view was rejected, and scientists debated the delimitation of individual subspecies. There are often differences in pattern even within closely related herds. Therefore, some researchers were of the opinion that the characteristics of giraffe subspecies are not hereditary (and therefore, true geographical subspecies do not exist). In addition to the above subspecies, in North Africa in ancient times there were some subspecies that no longer exist today. Since some ancient Egyptian images show giraffes without spots, it has been suggested that the North African subspecies were uniformly colored and unpatterned. There are, however, also images of giraffes with spots that call such assumptions into question.

  Facts

  Many of the pictures amazed me. But what really shocked me wasn't the work of art, it was... the giraffe. I was shocked to the core when I learned that there was such a creature on our planet. It happened at the zoo. I was 3 or 4 years old. At first I saw an elephant, but it did not surprise me: I probably already knew something about it. My parents and I approached big tree. And suddenly a giraffe with a long, very long neck came out from behind him. At that moment I thought: “What is this anyway?” I had never heard of giraffes before and was stunned. Even now I think about how strange giraffes are, they still fascinate me. And the thought that I live in the same universe as the giraffe makes me happy.

  Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) - a rather colorful and unusual in appearance animal, belonging to the class mammals, order ruminant artiodactyls, family giraffidae, genus giraffes.

  Description of the giraffe, appearance, characteristics
  

  The giraffe is the tallest animal in the world. The height (height) of the giraffe reaches 5.5 - 6.1 meters, a third of which falls on its famous neck. The weight of a male giraffe can range from 500 kg to 1900 kg, and the heart weighs as much as 12 kg: about 60 liters of blood passes through its valves per minute, and the pressure inside the vessels exceeds the standard pressure of an average person by 3 times. Due to the high density of blood, even a sharp change in the position of the giraffe’s head does not lead to a deterioration in the animal’s condition. Despite its impressive length, the giraffe’s neck fully meets the standard characteristics of a mammal - the giraffe has 7 cervical vertebrae, each of which reaches a length of 25 cm. The main jugular vein has in its design special locking valves that are responsible for a uniform supply of blood with the same pressure.

  

  The giraffe has quite interesting language: dark, almost brown, long and very muscular, it allows the animal to grab tree branches at a great height, while protruding 40-45 cm. With such a long tongue, giraffes can even clean their own ears.

  

  Giraffe color

  The color of the giraffe is also worthy of attention: the pattern of spots on the skin is absolutely unique and individual, like a person’s fingerprints, and is never repeated in two individuals. The head of both the male and female giraffe is decorated with a pair of horns covered with fur, big eyes fringed with long eyelashes and small ears crown the elongated head of the giraffe.

  Giraffe legs

  Despite their thin legs in relation to their overall size, these mammals run well (the giraffe’s speed is 60 km/h) and jump well, overcoming barriers more than 1.5 meters high. True, the tallest animal in the world can only actively move on a hard surface - the giraffe avoids swampy soil and rivers.

  How do giraffes sleep?

  The giraffe bends its long legs under itself, moving one of them to the side, and then, bending into a ball, puts its head on its croup. Giraffes can also sleep standing up.

  Sleep does not last long: during the night the giraffe gets up every now and then to drink or eat something. The mammal does not require many hours of sleep - a giraffe only needs from 10 minutes to 2 hours of sleep per day.

  

  How giraffes sleep

  Types of giraffes

  In the giraffe family, only 1 species of giraffe is distinguished; the remaining 5 species are considered extinct. Giraffes are classified mainly depending on where the animal lives and its color pattern. Experts count 9 subspecies (varieties) of giraffes:

  lives in eastern Sudan and western Ethiopia. Has a distinctive color chestnut spots, faceted with rich white lines, males are also distinguished by an impressive bony growth on the frontal part of the skull;

  

  • Ugandan giraffe (Rothschild)

  lives in Uganda. Known throughout the world for the beauty of its large brown spots, separated by wide white stripes;

  

  • Reticulated giraffe (Somali)

  lives in northern Kenya and southern Somalia. A network of juicy brown-red spots of medium size with sharp edges and thin white lines distinguishes this subspecies from a number of relatives; females often lack a growth on the skull;

  

  lives in Namibia and Botswana. Large brown spots with elongated accent corners give the animal’s color an extraordinary attractiveness;

  

  • Kordofan giraffe

  lives in western Sudan and the Central African Republic. Notable for the unevenness of the spots, the density of which increases below the hocks;

  

  • Masai giraffe

  lives in southern Kenya and Tanzania. The spots mostly decorate the legs, the shape of which is more like a star;

  

  lives in Zimbabwe, South Africa and Mozambique. The golden skin is decorated with dark round spots that rarely reach the hooves;

  

  lives in Zambia. The lighter skin has medium-sized jagged dark spots.

  

  is in danger of extinction. In 2007, the number of individuals was only 175 animals. Habitat: Chad.

  

  Where does the giraffe live?

  The giraffe lives in the savannas of sunny Africa; the giraffe does not live on other continents. Over the past 50 years, herds of giraffes can often be found in the southern and south-eastern regions of the Sahara, as well as drier areas of uninhabited land. Due to its elongated body structure and low water consumption, this animal can live in the open forests of Africa.

  

  Giraffes are one of the most interesting creatures on the planet. With long necks, strong slender legs and beautiful features, they have an almost surreal appearance despite roaming the African plains with very real dangers surrounding them. Interestingly, they also have some behaviors that seem downright strange at first glance.

  10. Mating

  Giraffe mating rituals are quite complex because female giraffes refuse to mate throughout their 15-month pregnancy. Between births, the female is ready to mate with a suitable male, but only for short period, every two weeks.

  So to keep track of when females are available for mating, male giraffes have developed a behavior called flehmen, which involves the female giraffe urinating in the male giraffe's mouth. This rather strange procedure, however, has a completely pragmatic meaning - the taste of urine in a female giraffe is different at the time when she is ready to mate. Therefore, when a special taste is present, the male knows that the female is ready to mate.

  9 Giraffes and NASA.

  Giraffes and space travel seem to have nothing in common. Weightlessness has always created a number of problems human body. One of the most significant problems is weakening of the veins in the legs. Because there is gravity and Earth's pull in space, the leg circulatory system doesn't have to work as hard to pump blood to and from the legs. Veins become lazy, thin and weak, which can create serious problems upon returning to Earth.

  NASA specialists found a way out of this problem by spying on giraffes. The fact is that newborn giraffes can stand on their feet almost immediately after birth, thanks to their rapidly inflating veins in their legs. When NASA scientists observed this, they were able to create a suit that provided negative pressure to the lower body. This device, which consists of sealed tubes, fits tightly around the astronaut below the waist and creates vacuum pressure so as to quickly dilate the veins in the legs and create blood flow to the legs and pelvic area. When all this negative pressure is applied at regular intervals, the veins in an astronaut's legs stay in shape.

  8. Water problems

  Because giraffes have such long necks and legs, drinking water can pose serious problems for them. To reach the water, they must spread their front legs wide and crane their necks downwards at an awkward angle, in a posture that makes them awkward and vulnerable to predators such as crocodiles.

  To get out of this situation, giraffes have found several ways. Their digestive system can get almost all the water they need from the plants they eat, so adults only need to drink water once a day. Giraffes have also learned to be very economical creatures when it comes to fluid loss: they never sweat, like most mammals. Instead, they allow their body temperature to fluctuate with the temperature of the surrounding air, allowing them to conserve water and stay cool in any situation.

  7. Speed

  Giraffes appear to be relatively clumsy creatures due to their bulky limbs and neck. But appearances can be deceiving.

  Giraffes have two modes of movement: fast and galloping. When a giraffe walks at a pace that appears slow from the outside, it actually covers 4.5 m with each step. This means that even when walking leisurely, its speed is 16 km per hour.

  And this is only in normal, lazy cruising mode. If a giraffe starts to gallop, it can easily escape any pursuit. With a fast and surprisingly graceful gallop, a giraffe can easily get away from a person, and even from many horses. Its speed reaches 56 kilometers per hour.

  6. Combat skills

  With its ridiculously unbalanced build and fast gallop, it's easy to assume that the giraffe is poor at defending itself and will run away as soon as a predator gets close. Giraffes are well versed in the art of self-defense, so lions only gain the courage to attack a giraffe. in large groups(and only when they are desperate). The giraffe's legs are very powerful and heavy, and each of them ends in a hard 30-centimeter hoof. The giraffe can strike in any direction and with such force that its blow can not only kill the lion, but actually decapitate it.

  5. Giraffe dance

  Thanks to them beautiful appearance and hidden powers, giraffes are highly revered in many traditional African beliefs. Although major world religions (particularly Christianity) have negatively influenced traditional African religions, the giraffe continues to be associated with mystical symbols among the peoples of Africa. For example, among some peoples, giraffe songs are common. And the Kalahari Bushmen always perform the Giraffe Dance before starting a hunt.

  During the giraffe dance, men stand in a large circle and perform a ritual dance, and inside the circle women play and sing Giraffe songs.

  4. Kisses

  Many of you have probably seen photos of two giraffes gently rubbing their necks together. It is a lovely image that creates the illusion of intimacy and communication, and as such it has been used on many Valentine's cards.

  In fact, this ritual is far from friendly, and is rather a struggle or even a real combat action. Male giraffes usually do this when they measure their strength, as a test of strength to find out which of them is stronger. This fight is quite ordeal, it requires a lot of strength and can last up to 20 minutes.

  In giraffes long tongue, which reaches a length of about 50 cm. Their tongue is bluish-black to protect it from sunburn, and the giraffe uses it the same way an elephant uses its trunk - with its tongue it grabs things and uses it for personal hygiene. The snake tongue is especially useful for obtaining food: the giraffe can simply wrap it around foliage and pull it into its mouth.

  The mouth of giraffes looks no less strange. The giraffe has a large upper lip, which is so elastic and tenacious that it acts like a hand in combination with its tongue. The insides of the mouth, along with the lips and tongue, are completely covered with hard papillae, which protect it from thorns and wounds.

  2. Egyptians and Caesar's giraffe

  Back in 2500 BC, Egyptian rulers caught giraffes while hunting and put them on display for their subjects. The Egyptians found quite easy way transport giraffes on a raft down the river so that they could ensure a steady supply of these exotic animals. Giraffes were so impressive that the Egyptians began giving them as gifts to rulers of other countries.

  The most famous recipient of a giraffe gift was none other than Julius Caesar. He was also given a giraffe, which made a great impression on Caesar. He named his new prize "camel-leopard" because he thought the animal was a cross between the two species. He brought it home to Rome so that the Romans could admire it. However, he then inserted the poor animal in the circus ring in battle with the lions who tore it to pieces to show how Rome dealt with its enemies.

  1. Giraffe Zarafa

  Perhaps the most famous giraffe celebrity in history, Zarafa is the first giraffe in France and was given to King Charles X by Muhammad Ali, the Ottoman governor of Egypt. Zarafa, which means “Beautiful” in Arabic, arrived in France in October 1826. He walked at a leisurely pace from Marseilles to Paris and his regal and friendly manners made her the idol of the nation. In the end, Zarafa was placed in Botanical Garden in Paris and became a big celebrity. Famous writers wrote stories about him. Famous artists painted portraits, Parisian fashionistas began to wear high giraffe hairstyles and dresses with patterned spots like giraffe skin. Giraffe-themed furniture and decorations were all the rage, and giraffe mania eventually spread throughout Europe.

  Of course, like any hobby, it had to end. Zarafa fell out of fashion and the public stopped coming to the garden.

  Giraffe skin

  The most striking feature of giraffes is certainly their magnificent, spotted coat. Each giraffe's intricate patterns form a unique pattern, much like human fingerprints. However, the properties of giraffe skin are even more impressive than the fur itself. Because it is quite difficult for giraffes to take care of their entire body hygiene due to long neck, they highlight chemicals from leather and wool to repel insects and disinfect the skin so that fungi and bacteria cannot grow on it. Unfortunately, this chemical cocktail smells quite unpleasant to humans. Some old giraffes are so saturated with smell that locals call them “bull stink.” Their specific pungent smell can be smelled 250 m away.