The giraffe is a large belonging to the Giraffa. It is the tallest living animal on Earth.
The giraffe's distinguishing characteristics are its extremely long neck and legs, horn-like , and spotted coat patterns. It is classified under the , along with its closest extant relative, the . Its scattered range extends from Chad in the north to South Africa in the south and from Niger in the west to Somalia in the east. Giraffes usually inhabit and . Their food source is leaves, fruits, and flowers of woody plants, primarily species, which they browse at heights most other ground-based cannot reach.
Predators like Lions, Hyenas, and African wild dogs may prey upon giraffes. Giraffes live in herds of related females and their offspring or bachelor herds of unrelated adult males but are and may gather in large groups. Males establish social hierarchies through "necking", combat bouts where the neck is used as a weapon. males gain mating access to females, which bear sole responsibility for rearing the young.
The giraffe has intrigued various ancient and modern cultures for its peculiar appearance and has often been featured in paintings, books, and cartoons. It is classified by the (IUCN) as to extinction. It has been from many parts of its former range. Giraffes are still found in many and , but estimates as of 2016 indicate there are approximately 97,500 members of Giraffa in the wild. More than 1,600 were kept in zoos in 2010.
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Animals On Earth: Africa
AléatoireHere's the second book of the Animals On Earth Series, this time it's about African Animals which includes the likes of Elephants, crocodiles, lions, meerkats, mongooses, warthogs, caracals, cheetahs, ostritches, rhinos, tick-birds, buffalo, gazzele...
