Giraffe Facts
Interesting And Unusual Giraffe Facts
That there are some unusual giraffe facts is not terribly surprising, given that the giraffe is a rather unusual animal, at least in appearance. The most noticeable feature about the giraffe is its neck, although its markings also draw attention. Besides the neck and markings, there are a number of other interesting things that can be said about this animal.
We think of the giraffe's neck as being primarily there to enable it to reach food at tree-top levels, which is somewhat misleading. It's an established fact that the animal's favorite food is acacia tree leaves. It will eat other foods as well, and at ground level if need be. It eats at tree-top level, more due to the fact that that's where its neck is, than that being where the food is. A mature giraffe will consume about 60 pounds of food a day, but can subsist on a third that amount for some time. The giraffe's habitat, covering a good part of Africa, is mostly in open country where there nevertheless are trees for their food supply.
The giraffe's neck also serves as a weapon. Fights between males, called necking, consist of the combatants whipping their necks and delivering blows with their heads. Such battles usually do no harm, but potentially can cause lethal injuries. Besides fighting one another, which is really part of the mating game, giraffes are very capable of defending themselves. We tend to think of giraffes as being defenseless creatures, relying on flight as their only means of defense. While they can indeed run very fast, they nevertheless can defend themselves against their only serious predator, the lion. A giraffe is quite capable of killing a lion with its powerful kick. Young giraffes, a few weeks old, are more vulnerable, and can fall victim to lions, hyenas, and other predators. Only about half the young giraffes survive to adulthood. Once there, they live long lives, typically around 25 years, and even longer when in captivity.
If giraffe facts regarding the primary function of the neck were often misleading, its scientific name is as well. The scientific name, giraffa camelopardalis, results from a belief once held, that the animal was actually a cross between a camel and a leopard (a little hard to imagine). The giraffe is more closely related to deer and cattle, but actually not all that closely. The only close relative is the okapi.
Besides offering a means of camouflage, the markings on the giraffe can also be thought of as the giraffe's fingerprints, as markings on no two animals are alike. The hide unfortunately, is often sought after, and while the animal is protected throughout its natural habitat, there are still losses through poaching. Among the giraffe facts having to do with the long neck is this one. As one might suspect, it would take a fairly powerful pump to get blood up to a giraffe's brain, and the giraffe has it, in a heart that weights on the order of 20 pounds. The arterial system contains an elaborate system of valves, regulating blood flow to the head and brain, so that in dropping its head for a drink of water, the blood supply is reduced, and the animal doesn't black out.
The giraffe is truly and unusual animal, and is revered throughout its habitat, not to mention being a top attraction in any zoo.