PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
The Giraffe
is the tallest animal in the world. Males may be 16-18 feet tall and weigh up
to 2,000 pounds. Females are usually lighter and about two feet shorter. The
giraffe's front legs are only slightly longer than the back ones, the height of
the fore part of the body being largely due to the heavy muscular development
of the base of the neck. The long neck has the usual seven vertebrae of most
mammals, although each is greatly elongated. The giraffe's soup-plate-sized
hooves are used as offensive weapons, usually in the defense of the calves. The
powerful kick from the front feet can kill a lion.
Fact:
There are nine
recognized subspecies of giraffe. They are:
o
Nigerian
giraffe
o
Nubian
giraffe
o
Baringo
giraffe
o
Masai
giraffe
o
Reticulated
giraffe
o
Thornicroft's
giraffe
o
Kordofan
giraffe
o
Angolan
giraffe
o
Southern
giraffe .
They live in scattered geographic regions in
Africa, and have differing color patterns.
DIET:
Giraffes are highly selective
feeders, the bulk of their diet comprising the leaves and shoots of trees and
shrubs, supplemented by climbers, vines and some herbs.
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