Order: Artiodactyla Family:
Giraffidae
Scientific name: Giraffa camelopardalis U.S. common name: Giraffe This will include all subspecies of
giraffe.
Other names: Twiga (Swahili)
Status in the wild: Classified as conservation
dependent by IUCN. G. c. camelopardalis is the most restricted and most
endangered subspecies.
Major threats: Excessive hunting and habitat
loss.
Geographic range
historically: Most
of the open country in Africa
Geographic range currently: Now restricted to areas south
of the Sahara
Habitat: Dry savannah especially with
acacia, open woodland, and seasonal floodplains, most common in areas with
scattered low and medium-height woody
growth.
Circadian cycle: Primarily crepuscular.
Size
General range male female birth
Head to rump length: 3.5-4.8
m
Tail length: 0.76-1.1 m
Head & tail length: 4.26-5.9 m
Total height: 3.5-5.2 m 3.9-5.2 m 3.5-4.7 m 1.7-2.2 m
Weight: 450-1930 kg 1800-1930 kg 450-1180
kg 47-70
kg
Sexual dimorphism: Males generally larger than females. Both
sexes carry horns, the ends knobbed hairless in adult males, and thin and
tufted in females and
young; a
median, lumpy horn and four or more smaller bumps in the males only. Horns are present in utero, are formed of
cartilage
from a
layer of skin and unattached to the skull. They lie flat but within a few days
of birth stand erect. Growth proceeds from the
base, but
bone deposition begins at the tips and proceeds downward. Fusion with skull
occurs at 4-4.5 years in males and after 7 years
in
females. The giraffe’s main pair of horns attaches to the parietals rather than
the frontal bones as in deer and antelope. Male horn
growth
continues through a process where bone of dermal origin is deposited over the
whole surface of the skull except where muscles
attach.
Apart from the parietal and median horns, bone accumulates as knobs at the base
of the skull, over the eyes, and on the nose.
Reproduction
Mating Season: Throughout the year but with
most mating occurring during the rains.
Birthing season: Throughout the year.
Gestation period: 14-14.5 months
Courtship: Once an estrus female is
located, a male attempts to maintain a tending bond and keep rivals away. He
follows the female closely, licking her tail,
and sometimes taking it
between his lips, standing and urine testing when she urinates. He may rest his
head on her rump, nudge her with his
muzzle, butt her gently
with his horns, try to rest his neck on back. Moving in closer, he
foreleg-lifts, which causes her to move forward.
Copulation: When she is ready to stand
for copulation, he stand immobile with his head high, then mounts by sliding
his forelegs loosely onto her flanks, and
stands upright while
giving an ejaculatory thrust that sends the female forward and ends the
courtship bout.
Number of mammae: Four
Interbirth interval: 20-23 months
Sexual maturity: At 3.5 years in females, and
4.5 years in males although males are not able to compete for breeding until
full size is reached at 7 years.
Other information: Females usually calve in
discreet calving grounds. The female remains in isolation with the calf for
about one week, the calf then joins
other
calves in a crèche during the day while the female feeds.
Rearing and
young
Young called: Calf
Number of young (range): One, rarely two.
Condition of young: Precocial
Eyes open: At birth
First leave
pouch/den/hide/nest: The female remains in isolation with the calf for about one week, the
calf then joins other calves in a crèche during the day
while the
female feeds.
First take solids: 3-4 months when rumination
begins.
Weaned: 6-13 months
Independent: 12-16 months
General
Life expectancy: Up to 25 years in the wild,
up to 36 years in captivity.
Social structure: Females and young associate
in herds of 2-10 animals. Young males form bachelor herds and will join these
herds at about 3 years of age.
They usually
emigrate out of their natal range. As males mature they become increasingly
solitary. Calves form crèches of up to 9 animals
which provides
protection for the young while the females feed during the day. Male dominance
hierarchy is largely a function of seniority
and between
peers is usually decided before maturity through contests in the bachelor herd.
This is done through “necking”, a behavior in
which two
animals swing their head and neck at an opponent attempting to land a blow on
the rump, flanks, or neck. Blows seldom land
solidly as each
animal attempts to avoid being hit by moving his neck or body away at the last
moment. The necks and jaws of adult
giraffes are
occasionally broken in such contests.
Unique behavior(s): There is vertical separation
in feeding between males and females. The typical feeding stance of an adult
male is with the head and neck
at full
vertical stretch, often with the tongue extended. Females tend to stand with
the neck curled over, feeding at body or knee height.
This
reduces food competition between the sexes.
Can run at speeds of 60 kph.
Senses: The best developed sense is
sight, but hearing and olfaction are acute as well.
Coat & coloration: The color pattern of the coat
varies depending on subspecies but in general consists of dark reddish to
chestnut brown blotches of
various
shapes and sizes on a buff ground color. The underparts are generally light and
unspotted. The long neck is maned with short
hair, and
the tail has a terminal tuft.
Dental Formula: 0/3 I, 0/1 C, 3/3 PM, 3/3 M =
32 total. The lower canine teeth are peculiarly flattened and are deeply
grooved at right angles to the plane of
flattening.
Diet: Browser largely on acacia,
mimosa, and wild apricot trees. It can be supplemented by climbers, vines, and some
herbs. Flowers, seed pods, and fruits
are also eaten in season. Can go
without water for long periods of time.
Sources
Nowak,
Ronald M. (ed.) 1999. Walker’s Mammals of the World Vol. 2 (6th
edition). The John Hopkins
University Press, Baltimore and London.
Macdonald,
David (ed.). 1987. The Encyclopedia of Mammals.
Facts on File Publications, New York.
Estes,
Richard D. 1991. The Behavior Guide to African Mammals. The University of California Press, Berkeley.
Kingdon,
Jonathan 1997. The Kingdon Field Guide to
African Mammals. Academic Press,
London.
Alden,
Peter C. et al. 1995. National Audubon
Society Field Guide to African Wildlife.
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., New York.