Giraffe - tallest mammal in the world
Giraffes are the
tallest mammals in the world. Their long legs and necks help them to eat leaves
at the top of tall trees that other animals cannot reach. They have long
tongues, and no teeth at the front of their top jaw, which helps them to rip
leaves from branches. Male giraffes use their necks for fighting, swinging them
from side to side to head butt their opponent. There are four species: Northern
giraffe, Southern giraffe , Masai giraffe
and reticulated giraffe .
The long legs and necks of giraffes make them
tallest of all the mammals; at around six foot, the legs alone are taller than
many humans. They have a distinct spotted coat, with no two giraffes having the
exact same pattern. The giraffes can be individually identified from their
coats, a feature that is often used in the study of wild giraffe populations. On
average, giraffes are between 16 and 20 ft (4.8–6 m) tall. Giraffes have long
necks that can be over six foot (>1.8 m) in length. The long neck is useful
for reaching food at the top of tall trees.
The added height is good for
spotting approaching predators, and males use their long necks to compete with
other males, a fight known as necking. Male giraffes swing their long necks and
repeatedly head butt the others body. Males with longer and stronger necks tend
to win these fights, and often get the female. Giraffes are browsers, so use
their long neck to feed on the leaves, shoots, and fruits of tall bushes and
trees.
They feed on a variety of plants and diet varies depending on location
and season, but acacia leaves and shoots are most common. Giraffes have 32
teeth, the same number as humans. Teeth are located at the front of the bottom
jaw, but only at the back of the top jaw. Instead of teeth they have a lump of
tissue known as a hard plate, or dental pad, at the top of their mouths, which
helps them to grip the leaves. Giraffe tongues are long, reaching around 20–21
in (50–53 cm) in length.
Giraffe tongues and lips are tough and specially
adapted to allow giraffes to forage on trees that other animals would avoid,
such as acacias, which are very thorny. Baby Giraffes can stand within half an
hour and after only 10 hours can run alongside their family. Young giraffes
hang out in nursery groups until they are around 5 months old, resting and
playing together while their mothers forage in the distance; one female will
tend to stay and look after the young. Males are not involved in the raising of
young.
