PBandJ's+Animal+Report+page

**Pbandj’s fun facts about giraffes!** 

__[]__ Giraffes are the tallest land animals on Earth! Its logical name is the Giraffa camelopardealis. Every Giraffe has a different coat pattern. [] Giraffe skin grows darker with age. The giraffe possesses elastic arteries and special valves in its jugular vein that keep its blood pressure steady and prevent it from becoming dizzy when raising its head. The word giraffe comes for the Arabic word "zirafah " which means "the tallest of them all." The animal's scientific name stems from Latin -//Giraffa// (one who walks swiftly) and //camelopardalis// (camel - leopard). According to legend, Romans thought giraffe were as big as a camel, with the spots of a leopard. The name stuck! In reality, however, giraffe bear no relation to these to animals but instead share common ancestry with and thus belong to the same family as the okapi (//Okapi johnstoni//) which inhabits dense rain forests. __[]__ It has irregular splotches of yellowish brown background. An average adult male is 2,630lbs. An average female is 1,830lbs. An average adult male is 14ft tall, but the tallest recorded was 20ft tall. An average female is about the same. The giraffe is related deer and cattle, but is placed in a separate family, the Giraffidae, consisting of only the giraffe and its closest relative, the okapi. Giraffes can survive in a zoo, but really they don’t like it in a zoo. They usually live in Africa. Giraffes usually live in grasslands, savannas, or open woodlands. They need a lot of food to survive and drink large amounts of water each day. The Giraffe was discovered by an African tribe in the 14th century. The species name //camelopardalis// (camelopard) is derived from its early [|__Roman__] name, where it was described as having characteristics of both a [|__camel__] and a [|__leopard__]. Male giraffes are up to 5.5 metres (18 ft) tall at the horn tips, and weigh between 800 and 1,930 kilograms (1,800 and 4,300 lb). Reticulated or [|__Somali Giraffe__] (//G. c. reticulata//) — large, polygonal liver-coloured spots outlined by a network of bright white lines. The blocks may sometimes appear deep red and may also cover the legs. Range: northeastern [|__Kenya__], [|__Ethiopia__] , [|__Somalia__]. Angolan or <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__Smoky Giraffe__] (//G. c. angolensis//) — large spots and some notches around the edges, extending down the entire lower leg. Range: <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__Angola__], <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__Zambia__]. __[|Kordofan Giraffe]__ (//G. c. antiquorum//) — smaller, more irregular spots that cover the inner legs. Range: western and southwestern <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__Sudan__]. __[|Masai]__ or Kilimanjaro Giraffe (//G. c. tippelskirchi//) — jagged-edged, vine-leaf shaped spots of dark chocolate on a yellowish background. Range: central and southern <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__Kenya__], <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__Tanzania__]. Nubian Giraffe (//G. c. camelopardalis//) — large, four-sided spots of chestnut brown on an off-white background and no spots on inner sides of the legs or below the hocks. Range: eastern <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__Sudan__], northeast <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__Congo__]. __[|Rothschild Giraffe]__ or Baringo Giraffe or Ugandan Giraffe (//G. c. rothschildi//) — deep brown, blotched or rectangular spots with poorly defined cream lines. Hocks may be spotted. Range: <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__Uganda__], north-central <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__Kenya__]. ▪ [|__South African Giraffe__] (//G. c. giraffa//) — rounded or blotched spots, some with star-like extensions on a light tan background, running down to the hooves. Range: <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__South Africa__], <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__Namibia__] , <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__Botswana__] , <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__Zimbabwe__] , <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__Mozambique__]. ▪ Thornicroft or <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__Rhodesian Giraffe__] (//G. c. thornicrofti//) — star-shaped or leafy spots extend to the lower leg. Range: eastern <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__Zambia__]. ▪ West African or <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__Nigerian Giraffe__] (//G. c. peralta//) — numerous pale, yellowish red spots. Range: <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__Niger__], <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__Cameroon__]. Some scientists regard Kordofan and West African Giraffes as a single subspecies; similarly with Nubian and Rothschild's Giraffes, and with Angolan and South African Giraffes. Further, some scientists regard all populations except the Masai Giraffes as a single subspecies. By contrast, scientists have proposed four other subspecies — Cape Giraffe (//G. c. capensis//), Lado Giraffe (//G. c. cottoni//), Congo Giraffe (//G. c. congoensis//), and Transvaal Giraffe (//G. c. wardi//) — but none of these is widely accepted. Male giraffes are up to 5.5 metres (18 ft) tall at the horn tips, and weigh between 800 and 1,930 kilograms (1,800 and 4,300 lb). Females are between 4 and 4.5 metres (13 and 15 ft) tall and weigh between 550 and 1,180 kilograms (1,200 and 2,600 lb). The coat is made up of brown blotches or patches separated by lighter hair. Each giraffe has a unique coat pattern.<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__[14__]]

Both sexes have horns, although the horns of a female are smaller. The prominent horns are formed from ossified cartilage, and are called <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__ossicones__]. The appearance of horns is a reliable method of identifying the sex of giraffes, with the females displaying tufts of hair on the top of the horns, where as males' horns tend to be bald on top — an effect of necking in combat. Males sometimes develop calcium deposits which form bumps on their skull as they age, which can give the appearance of up to three additional horns.<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__[15__]]

Giraffes have long necks which they use to browse tree leaves. They possess seven vertebrae (although disputed by some zoologists who claim that it has eight<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__[16__]] ) in the neck (the usual number for a mammal) that are elongated. The vertebrae are separated by highly flexible joints. The base of the neck has spines which project upward and form a hump over the shoulders. They have anchor muscles that hold the neck upright. Giraffes also have slightly elongated forelegs, about 10% longer than their hind legs. The pace of the giraffe is an amble, though when pursued it can run extremely fast, up to 55 km/h.<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__[17__]] It cannot sustain a lengthy chase. Its leg length compels an unusual gait with the left legs moving together followed by right (similar to <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__pacing__] ) at low speed, and the back legs crossing outside the front at high speed. When hunting adult giraffes, <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__lions__] try to knock the lanky animal off its feet and pull it down. Giraffes are difficult and dangerous prey. The giraffe defends itself with a powerful kick. A single well-placed kick from an adult giraffe can shatter a lion's skull or break its spine. Lions are the only predators which pose a serious threat to an adult giraffe.
 * Neck**
 * Legs and pacing**

Modifications to the giraffe's structure have evolved, particularly to the <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__circulatory system__]. A giraffe's heart, which can weigh up to 10 kg (22 lb) and measure about 60 cm (2 ft) long, must generate approximately double the normal blood pressure for an average large mammal to maintain blood flow to the brain. In the upper neck, a complex pressure-regulation system called the <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__rete mirabile__] prevents excess blood flow to the brain when the giraffe lowers its head to drink. Conversely, the blood vessels in the lower legs are under great pressure (because of the weight of fluid pressing down on them). In other animals such pressure would force the blood out through the capillary walls; giraffes, however, have a very tight sheath of thick skin over their lower limbs which maintains high extravascular pressure in the same way as a pilot's <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__g-suit__].
 * Circulatory system**

Behaviour Female giraffes associate in groups of a dozen or so members, occasionally including a few younger males. Younger males tend to live in "bachelor" herds, with older males often leading solitary lives. Reproduction is polygamous, with a few older males impregnating all the fertile females in a herd. Male giraffes determine female fertility by tasting the female's urine in order to detect estrus, in a multi-step process known as the <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__Flehmen response__]. Giraffes will mingle with the other herbivores in the African bush. Their company is beneficial, since they are tall enough to have a much wider scope of an area and will watch for predators. Giraffe <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__gestation__] lasts between 400 and 460 days, after which a single calf is normally born, although twins occasionally occur.
 * Social structure and breeding habits**
 * Reproduction**

The mother gives birth standing up and the <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__embryonic__] sack usually bursts when the baby falls to the ground. Newborn giraffes are about 1.8 m (6 ft) tall.

Within a few hours of being born, calves can run around and are indistinguishable from a week-old calf; however, for the first two weeks, they spend most of their time lying down, guarded by the mother.

The young can fall prey to lions, <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__leopards__], <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__spotted hyenas__] , and <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__wild dogs__]. It has been speculated that their characteristic spotted pattern provides a certain degree of <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__camouflage__]. Only 25 to 50% of giraffe calves reach adulthood; the life expectancy is between 20 and 25 years in the wild and 28 years in captivity (//Encyclopedia of Animals//).


 * Necking**

Two males necking As noted above, males often engage in necking, which has been described as having various functions. One of these is combat. Battles can be fatal, but are more often less severe. The longer the neck, and the heavier the head at the end of the neck, the greater the force a giraffe is able to deliver in a blow. It has also been observed that males that are successful in necking have greater access to <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__estrous__] females, so the length of the neck may be a product of <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__sexual selection__].

After a necking duel, a giraffe can land a powerful blow with his head — occasionally knocking a male opponent to the ground. These fights rarely last more than a few minutes or end in physical harm.

Another function of necking is <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__sexual__], in which two males caress and court each other, leading up to mounting and climax. Such interactions between males are more frequent than heterosexual coupling.<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__[20__]] In one study, up to 94% of observed mounting incidents took place between two males. The proportion of same sex activities varied between 30 and 75%, and at any given time one in twenty males were engaged in non-combative necking behaviour with another male. Only 1% of same-sex mounting incidents occurred between females.<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__[21__]]

The giraffe browses on the twigs of trees, preferring trees of the <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__genera__] [|__//Acacia//__], <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__//Commiphora//__] and <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__//Terminalia//__] , and also eats grass and fruit.<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__[11__]][|__[22__]] The tongue is tough due to the giraffe's diet, which can include tree thorns. In <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__Southern Africa__], giraffes feed on all <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__acacias__] , especially <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__//Acacia erioloba//__] , and possess a specially-adapted tongue and lips that are tough enough to withstand the vicious thorns of this plant. A giraffe can eat 65 pounds (29 kg) of leaves and twigs daily, but can survive on just 15 pounds (6.8 kg).<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__[22__]] The giraffe requires less food than typical grazing animals because the foliage it eats has more concentrated nutrition and it has a more efficeint digestive system.<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__[11__]] During the wet season, food is abundant and giraffes disperse widely, but during the dry season they need to congragate around evergreen trees and bushes.<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__[11__]] As a ruminant, it first chews its food, then swallows for processing and then visibly regurgitates the semi-digested cud up their necks and back into the mouth, in order to chew again. This process is usually repeated several times for each mouthful. The giraffe can surivive without water for extended periods.<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__[22__]] A giraffe will clean off any bugs that appear on its face with its extremely long tongue (about 45 centimetres (18 in)).
 * Diet**

The giraffe has one of the shortest sleep requirements of any mammal, which is between ten minutes and two hours in a 24-hour period, averaging 1.9 hours per day.<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__[23__]]
 * Sleeping**

Although generally quiet and not vocal, giraffes have been heard to make various sounds. Courting males will emit loud coughs. Females will call their young by whistling or bellowing. Calves will bleat, moo, or make mewing sounds. In addition, giraffes will grunt, snort, hiss, or make strange flute-like sounds. Recent research has shown evidence that the animal communicates at an <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__infrasound__] level.<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__[24__]]
 * Communication**

Many animals when kept in captivity, such as in <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__zoos__], display abnormal behaviours. Such unnatural behaviours are known as <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__stereotypic behaviours__] .<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__[25__]] In particular, giraffes show distinct patterns of stereotypic behaviors when removed from their natural environment. Due to a subconscious response to suckle milk from their mother, something which many human-reared giraffes and other captive animals do not experience, giraffes resort instead to excessive tongue use on inanimate objects.<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__[26__]] Due to the obvious social and cultural discomfort associated with the addition of milk delivery devices, animal enclosures are often enriched with other stimuli, such as food and mental distractions (toys, scent markings etc.). This operates as a distraction, removing the giraffe’s focus from its instinctual tendencies towards suckling, resulting in tongue lolling and licking of objects in close proximity.
 * Stereotypic behavior**

Human interactions
 * Conservation**

Lone giraffe at [|__Lake Nakuru National Park__], Kenya. Overall, the giraffe is regarded as "Least Concern" from a conservation perspective by the <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__International Union for Conservation of Nature__] (IUCN).<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__[2__]] However, at least one subspecies, the <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__West African__] or <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__Nigerian Giraffe__] (//G. c. peralta//), has been classified as endangered.<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__[27__]] Giraffes are hunted for their tails, hides and meat.<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__[22__]] The tails are used as good luck charms, thread and <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__flyswatters__] .<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__[22__]] In addition, habitat destruction also hurts the giraffe. In the <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__Sahel__] trees are cut down for firewood and to make way for livestock. Normally, giraffes are able to cope with livestock since they feed in the trees above their heads. The giraffe population is shrinking in West Africa. However, the populations in eastern and southern Africa are stable and, due to the popularity of privately-owned game ranches and sanctuaries (i.e. <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__Bour-Algi Giraffe Sanctuary__] ), are expanding. The giraffe is a protected species in most of its range. The total African giraffe population has been estimated to range from 110,000 to 150,000. Kenya (45,000), Tanzania (30,000), and Botswana (12,000), have the largest national populations.<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__[28__]]

Giraffes have been used as examples for introducing ideas in evolution, especially to illustrate the ideas of <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__Lamarck__]. Lamarck believed that the giraffe's long neck developed as a result of ancestral giraffe's reaching to browse on the leaves of tall trees.<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__[29__]] The coat patterns of several species of giraffe have been modelled using reaction-diffusion mechanisms.<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">[|__[30__]]
 * Scientific inspiration**

Type: Mammal Diet: Herbivore Average lifespan in the wild: 25 years Size: 14 to 19 ft (4 to 6 m)

Weight: 1,750 to 2,800 lbs (794 to 1,270 kg) Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man: A giraffes heart can pump 16 gallons of blood in one minute. Giraffes have beautiful spotted coats. While no two individuals have exactly the same pattern, giraffes from the same area appear similar. These infants can stand in half an hour and run with their mothers an incredible ten hours after birth.

Giraffes have the largest eyes of any land animal.

Giraffes only need to drink once every several days; they get most of their water from the luscious plants they eat. [] Giraffes are hunted for their meat, coat and tails. __[]__

The giraffes ancestors first appeared in central Asia about 15 million years ago, however, the earliest fossil records of the giraffe itself, from Israel and Africa, date back about 1.5 million years. Okapi is much shorter than the giraffe, it also has a long neck and eats leaves and both animals have long tongues and skin-covered horns. Male giraffes are called 'Bulls', female giraffes are called 'Cows' and baby giraffes are called 'Calves'.

Organization research chart ____ ** || <span style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 255);">live to be 20 to 25 years in a lifetime || <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(0, 0, 238);">average 17 to 18 feet ** || **Body Functions <span style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 0);">The giraffe possesses elastic arteries and special valves in its jugular vein that keep its blood pressure steady and prevent it from becoming dizzy when raising its head. Giraffe skin grows darker with age. <span style="font-family: '-webkit-sans-serif'; line-height: 19px; background-color: rgb(0, 255, 0);">As noted above, males often engage in necking, which has been described as having various functions. One of these is combat. Battles can be fatal, but are more often less severe. The longer the neck, and the heavier the head at the end of the neck, the greater the force a giraffe is able to deliver in a blow. It has also been observed that males that are successful in necking have greater access to [|estrous]females, so the length of the neck may be a product of[|sexual selection].[|[19]] <span style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 0);"> ** || **Location / Habitat ↑** || **Adaption <span style="font-weight: normal; color: rgb(3, 104, 15); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">long necks and a 2ft 3 inches tongue ** || **Problems <span style="font-weight: normal; color: rgb(0, 128, 128); background-color: rgb(144, 0, 255);">when they are getting a drink they are defenseless from lions ** || **Behavior ** ||
 * || ===**Physical characteristics <span style="font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(234, 46, 46);">It has irregular splotches of yellowish brown background. An average adult male is 2,630lbs. An average female is 1,830lbs. An average adult male is 14ft tall, but the tallest recorded was 20ft tall. An average female is about the same. **=== || **Life Cycle
 * **Growth

||  ||   || ||
 * <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">very defensive and can be mean when their babies are threatened ||  || ||

<span style="background-color: rgb(192, 192, 192); font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif;">The giraffe browses on the twigs of trees, preferring trees of the <span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; background-color: rgb(192, 192, 192); font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif;">[|__genera__] [|__//Acacia//__] <span style="background-color: rgb(192, 192, 192); font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif;">, <span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; background-color: rgb(192, 192, 192); font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif;">[|__//Commiphora//__] <span style="background-color: rgb(192, 192, 192); font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif;"> and <span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; background-color: rgb(192, 192, 192); font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif;">[|__//Terminalia//__] <span style="background-color: rgb(192, 192, 192); font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif;">, and also eats grass and fruit. <span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; background-color: rgb(192, 192, 192); font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif;">[|__[11__]][|__[22__]] <span style="background-color: rgb(192, 192, 192); font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif;"> The tongue is tough due to the giraffe's diet, which can include tree thorns. In <span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; background-color: rgb(192, 192, 192); font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif;">[|__Southern Africa__] <span style="background-color: rgb(192, 192, 192); font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif;">, giraffes feed on all <span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; background-color: rgb(192, 192, 192); font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif;">[|__acacias__] <span style="background-color: rgb(192, 192, 192); font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif;">, especially <span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; background-color: rgb(192, 192, 192); font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif;">[|__//Acacia erioloba//__] <span style="background-color: rgb(192, 192, 192); font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif;">, and possess a specially-adapted tongue and lips that are tough enough to withstand the vicious thorns of this plant. || **Predators / Prey <span style="color: rgb(226, 115, 189); background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">lions, wild dogs, and sometimes cheetahs. ** || **Family groups
 * **Diet**
 * **Diet**
 * **Diet**

<span style="background-color: rgb(226, 115, 189);">herd ** || **Relatives

<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);"> okapi cattle deer ** ||  ||
 * ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   || l ||   ||   ||   ||


 * Sloppy Copy drafts of writing

Revised Writing

what a wonderful world!!!!!!!!!!** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; font-size: 130%; color: rgb(168, 24, 75);">__//**The Night Before Giraffmas**//__ <span style="font-size: 130%; color: rgb(168, 24, 75);"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; color: rgb(168, 24, 75); font-size: 130%;">__//**It was the night before Giraffmas and all through the grassland not a creature was stirring not even a meerkat, but little George the Giraffe was not sleeping. He was waiting until Rhino Claus gave him lots of yummy leaves. Little George the Giraffe was always a mischievous little calf. He usually played by the lions and teased the mandrills because they had blue butts. Meanwhile in her bed little Genny the Giraffe was trying to get the sugarleaves out of her head. “Why can’t I go to sleep”, she said. “Bam, “Bong, “Bam, “Bong!” Yippee, santa is here, she thought as the Rhino Claus came to their tree that they were under. “Where is George”? Meanwhile George had set a trap to catch Rhino Claus. “Snap, the rope snapped as the Rhino was caught. “Ha!” “Ha!”, said George. “What in the Blue Blazes is going on here!”, said Rhino. Little Genny the Giraffe was trying to wake up Mr. Giraffe so he could help the jolly Rhino. Meanwhile on the other side of the tree the Rhino was trying to get out of the cage, “Get me out of here!”, he said. “No way”, said George. All of a sudden an old guy with a big belly came out and belly flopped little George so he could get the Rhino out of the net. “Thanks”, said the Rhino, now I can go deliver my presents to little Genny the Giraffe. On the other side of the tree little Genny the Giraffe was asleep because she tried way to hard to get up Mr. Giraffe. The Rhino delivered the presents and flew off on his magical Ostrich that could fly. “Merry Giraffmas and to all a good night”, said Rhino Claus.**//__

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; color: rgb(9, 58, 9);"> <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 128, 128); font-size: 140%;">__**The Giraffe Cafe menu Fresh Leave salad with a side of caterpillars $3.56 A flower cup filled with delicious seed pods $2.87 A large twig salad with extra insects $3.12 Thorn Bush salad with a side of fruit $12.53 Spider and beetle soup with a side of leaves $5.98 The Special tree rolls with insect cream $122.34 The worm soup with thorn crackers $1.78**__ <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; font-size: 120%; color: rgb(144, 0, 255);">__//**My**//__ <span style="font-size: 120%; color: rgb(144, 0, 255);">__//**interview**//__ <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; font-size: 120%; color: rgb(144, 0, 255);"> __//**with**//__ <span style="font-size: 120%; color: rgb(144, 0, 255);">__//**Georgia**//__ <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; font-size: 120%; color: rgb(144, 0, 255);"> __//**the**//__ <span style="font-size: 120%; color: rgb(144, 0, 255);">__//**Giraffe**//__ <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; font-size: 120%; color: rgb(144, 0, 255);"> __//**scientist**//__

<span style="font-size: 110%; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);">**Blue** =question, <span style="font-size: 110%; color: rgb(226, 115, 189);">**Pink** =Answer, <span style="font-size: 110%; color: rgb(0, 204, 51);">**Green** =Announcer talking <span style="color: rgb(0, 204, 51);">__//**"And now the magnificent pbandj is going to interview Georgia the Giraffe scientist!"**//__ **//<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);">What are giraffes scientific name? //** <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(226, 115, 189);">Giraffa camelopardealis. //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);">What is the Giraffes closest species? //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(226, 115, 189);">The Okapi. //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);">What is the Giraffes ancestor groups? //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(226, 115, 189);">Deer and Cattle. //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);">Why do giraffes have long tongues? //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(226, 115, 189);">They have long tongues, so they can reach the tall branches of the //** <span style="color: rgb(226, 115, 189);"> acacia <span style="font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">**//<span style="color: rgb(226, 115, 189);">tree. //** <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);">What are giraffes main predator? //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(226, 115, 189);">Lions are their main predator. //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);">What are some of their main problems? //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(226, 115, 189);">Some of their problems is when they run to much they die. //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);">How do giraffes defend themselves from lions or other things? //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(226, 115, 189);">They defend themselves by kicking and running away, because one kick from a giraffe could kill a lion. //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);">What are some other predators that eat or kill them? //** **//<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);">What is the worst problem for a giraffe? //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(226, 115, 189);">When they are drinking they cannot get up very fast, so lions can kill them very easily. //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);">Why do giraffes have long necks? //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(226, 115, 189);">They have long necks, so they can get up to the highest branches of the acacia tree. //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 204, 51);"> __//**"Hello, this is your host Mr.Maggolian and it is the middle of our interview on giraffe planet"!**//__ **//<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);">How tall are giraffes? //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(226, 115, 189);">They are about 14 feet tall and they tallest ever found was 20 feet tall. //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);">How much does an average giraffe weigh? //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(226, 115, 189);">They weigh about 2,600. //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);">What do giraffes look like? //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(226, 115, 189);">They look kind of like a camel, but with very long necks. //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);">How many vertebrae does an average giraffe have? //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(226, 115, 189);">They have 7, but some zoologists say that some giraffes have 8. //** **//<span style="color: rgb(226, 115, 189);">They actually have to get up after a while so there would not be to much blood in the brain. //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);">Do giraffes get defensive when their babies are threatened? //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(226, 115, 189);">They get very defensive and can be as aggressive as a bear. //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);">What are some adaptations of a giraffe? //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(226, 115, 189);">Some adaptations are a 2 feet long tongue and a very long neck. //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);">Where do giraffes live? //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(226, 115, 189);">They live in Africa and other parts above Africa. //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);">Why in the world do people hunt giraffes? //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(226, 115, 189);">They do it, so them they can get their precious fur coat. //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);">What do okapi look like? //** <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(248, 234, 231);">**//<span style="color: rgb(226, 115, 189);">They look like zebras on the legs and on the top they look like a horse. <span style="color: rgb(168, 24, 75);"> <span style="color: rgb(0, 204, 51);">__"And now it it is the end of our show and I hope you liked it, babye!"__ <span style="color: rgb(168, 24, 75);"> //** ** //__I__// ** ** //__-In the wild can live up to 25 years old__// ** ** //__R__// ** ** //__-Reach up to the tallest branches with it’s 2ft.3inch tongue.__// ** ** //__A__// ** ** //__-All of them have a different coat pattern__// ** ** //__F__// ** ** //__-Fast__// ** ** //__F__// ** ** //__-Find food in the grasslands__// **
 * //<span style="color: rgb(226, 115, 189);">Some other things are, wild dogs, leopards, and other kinds of cats. //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);">
 * //<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);">How do they drink without getting dizzy? //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238);">
 * //__G__// ** ** //__-Giraffes weigh up to 2,630lbs__// **

//__E-Eats Acacia thorns and leaves__//
**//<span style="color: rgb(144, 0, 255);">Business Letter //** <span style="color: rgb(144, 0, 255);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(144, 0, 255);">Dear Jenny: //** <span style="color: rgb(144, 0, 255);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(144, 0, 255);">How are you? Is your food source good? Do you need any help? Now, down to business. You have been having some trouble with lions eating your babies and I would like to help. My army would love to take down some of those felines. I know that one of your giraffes has been eaten by the leader, but none of you are going to be their main meal again. Another thing, we are not just going to give you our protection you have to trade us some of your delicious acacia thorns. I also want you to make a deal if you give us some of your delicious food I will give you my protection against the lions.

Your Friend, JACOBO GIRAFFE //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(144, 0, 255);">

<span style="color: rgb(144, 0, 255);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(144, 0, 255);">Reply to the Business Letter //** <span style="color: rgb(144, 0, 255);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(144, 0, 255);">Dear Jacobo: //** <span style="color: rgb(144, 0, 255);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(144, 0, 255);">I think that you are giving me a very good price for what we need the most and yes I am not doing very well because as you know my child was eaten by the evil lional. My food source is very good because the humans have planted some trees that produce some delicious leaves. I will give you some food if you give us your armie’s protection. I hope you come soon because our spy said that they are planning to attack us in a week. //** <span style="color: rgb(144, 0, 255);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(144, 0, 255);">Your Friend, //** <span style="color: rgb(144, 0, 255);"> **//<span style="color: rgb(144, 0, 255);">Jenny //** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(144, 0, 255);">

<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 255, 0);">__**A informational paragraph narrated by Jenny the giraffe**__

**<span style="background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);">I think that my kind is very interesting because we are the tallest land animals in the world. Today I am going to be telling you about my different kinds of giraffes. One of them is the Nubian Giraffe, and that one is very cool. It has large, four-sided spots of chestnut brown on an off-white background and no spots on inner sides of the legs or below the hocks. Range: eastern Sudan and northeastern Congo. Another is the Smoky giraffe, large spots and some notches around the edges, extending down the entire lower leg. Range: Angola and Zambia. ** <span style="background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);"> **<span style="background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);">Those are my favorite, but there are lots more, so I am going to tell you about how we give birth to our babies. Giraffe pregnancy lasts between 400 and 460 days, after which a single calf is normally born, although twins occasionally occur. The mother gives birth standing up and the sack usually bursts when the baby falls to the ground. Newborn giraffes are about 1.8 m (6 ft) tall. This is a lot of info for my brain so let's have some fun. ** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);"> <span style="background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);"> **<span style="background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);">A Little Rabbit is running happily through the woods when he comes across a Giraffe rolling a joint. He runs up the Giraffe and says, "Hey, Giraffe. You shouldn't do that. Think of your health. You should come running in the woods instead!" The Giraffe looks at the Little Rabbit, looks at the spliff, shrugs his shoulders, tosses the joint over his shoulder and runs off through the wood with the Little Rabbit. ** <span style="background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);"> **<span style="background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);">After a while the Giraffe and the Rabbit come across an Elephant about to do a line of Coke. The Rabbit says, "Oh, Elephant you really shouldn't do that. You should come running with us in the wood. It is much better for you." The Elephant looks at the Rabbit looks at the line of Charlie, shrugs his shoulders, then runs off through the wood with the Giraffe and the Rabbit. ** <span style="background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);"> **<span style="background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);">Shortly they come across a Bear about to shoot up heroin. The Rabbit runs up to him and says, "Hey, Bear, you shouldn't do that, think of your health. You'd be better of running in the woods with us." The Bear looks at the Rabbit, looks at the syringe, spoon and stuff, shrugs his shoulders, kicks the whole lot away and runs off with the Rabbit, the Giraffe and the Elephant. ** <span style="background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);"> **<span style="background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);">After a while they come across a Tiger drinking his way through a six pack of beer. The Rabbit runs up to the Tiger and says, "Hey Tiger, you really shouldn't d that." and the Tiger immediately jumps up and starts beating the living crap out of the Rabbit. The Giraffe grabs the Tiger and pulls him off the Rabbit and says, "What the hell are you doing, man?" The Tiger gets one more kick in and says, "Ah, that little fucker really pisses me off; he always makes me run around the bloody woods when he's on Ecstasy! ** <span style="background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);"> <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);"> **<span style="background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);">"Ha, Ha, Ha"!, now that is a good joke"! "O.K, now let's get back to business"! Now I will tell you about that birth thingy. Within a few hours of being born, calves can run around and are indistinguishable from a week-old calf; however, for the first two weeks, they spend most of their time lying down, guarded by the mother. ** <span style="background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);"> **<span style="background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);">The young can fall prey to lions, ** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);"> <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);">[|**____leopards____**] **<span style="background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);">, ** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);"> <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);">[|**____spotted hyenas____**] **<span style="background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);">, and ** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);"> <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);">[|**____wild dogs____**] **<span style="background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);">. It has been speculated that their characteristic spotted pattern provides a certain degree of **<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);">[|**____camouflage____**] **<span style="background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);">. ** <span style="background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);"> **<span style="background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);">Only 25 to 50% of giraffe calves reach adulthood; the life expectancy is between 20 and 25 years in the wild and 28 years in captivity ( **//**<span style="background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);">Encyclopedia of Animals **//**<span style="background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);">). I hope you liked that info because we are going to tell you about two more thing: Necking and their Circulatory system! Two males necking ** <span style="background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);"> **<span style="background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);">As noted above, males often engage in necking, which has been described as having various functions. One of these is combat. Battles can be fatal, but are more often less severe. The longer the neck, and the heavier the head at the end of the neck, the greater the force a giraffe is able to deliver in a blow. Modifications to the giraffe's structure have evolved, particularly to the ** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);"> <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);">[|**____circulatory system____**] **<span style="background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);">. A giraffe's heart, which can weigh up to 10 kg (22 lb) and measure about 60 cm (2 ft) long, must generate approximately double the normal blood pressure for an average large mammal to maintain blood flow to the brain. In the upper neck, a complex pressure-regulation system called the ** <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);"> <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);">[|**____rete mirabile____**] <span style="letter-spacing: 0px; background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);"> **<span style="background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);">prevents excess blood flow to the brain when the giraffe lowers its head to drink. Conversely, the blood vessels in the lower legs are under great pressure (because of the weight of fluid pressing down on them). In other animals such ** <span style="background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);"> **<span style="background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);">pressure would force the blood out through the capillary walls; giraffes, however, have a very tight sheath of thick skin over their lower limbs which maintains high extravascular pressure in the same way as a pilot's ** <span style="font-family: Arial; line-height: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);"> <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);">[|**____g-suit____**] **<span style="background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);">. ** <span style="font-family: Arial; line-height: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);"> <span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);"> <span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; letter-spacing: 0px;">__//<span style="background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);"> **<span style="background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);">" I hope you liked our show, tune in next time for our giraffe mating episode!" **//__ <span style="background-color: rgb(81, 0, 230);">

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<span style="color: rgb(234, 46, 46);">1. Giraffes are great. And they get shipped in crates.

2. Giraffes are fast. 3. Their babies do not last.

4. They eat grass. They have great mass.

5. Some live in Congo. But they are all in Mongo.

6. Males are usually mean. The females are very keen.

7. They have lots of spots. They also have many dots.

8. They do not need a lot of slumber. They also have very little blubber.

9. When they get a drink. They have to make sure they do not blink.

10. A female giraffe, Usually gives birth to a calf.

11. I really think they are nice. Even though they do not eat mice.

12. I like their coats. They are related to goats.

13. They have horns. They also eat thorns.

14. I am very happy, That they are related to the Okapi.(o-ka-pee)

15. They have a 22 pound heart. They are also very smart.

16. They usually have a 25 year life. They are part of wildlife.

<span style="font-size: 140%; color: rgb(128, 0, 128);">__//**The wonderful, fabulous Poem.**//__ <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-size: 150%;">With a neck so long, To hear his song, You'll have to stay, Around all day. He begins his tune, Just before noon. And it comes out right, About midnight! <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);"> <span style="color: rgb(234, 46, 46);">I copied and pasted this one, but the one on the top I came up with myself. <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">A giraffe came by the willow tree Stopped to gaze and talk to me. For he was very lean and tall A pillar, a column, a walking wall.

And as he looked down upon my face His eyes were wide two pools in space, As they engulfed, the countryside, The sky above, held me inside - Their special height and slant of things Their special view of every thing, And I could see by looking up The wealth within his loving cup That thinks and drinks the sun and sky And watches us from way up high.

And yet I found it sad to see That he could never reach down to me For he was too tall, too much ideal And I was too small, too much the real.

So, this angular figure, graceful and wise Of astounding vision and cool clear eyes Watched the sun rise, then watched it set Looked down on me and seemed to forget That I was as much a part of this scene As the sun in the sky, the oak in the green.

Then the willow tree watching standing near by Saw the distance between us and started to cry she bowed down her head touching the ground And from that day to this, it's the way she'll be found.

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