Giraffes how tall

About 25 years ago, I had the pleasure to hand-feed a young giraffe. I lined up with the kids at an open zoo. Your email address will not be published. Search Search for: Search. Males are able to reach a height of 18ft 5. Male giraffes tend to be taller than females and can feed on the higher branches of trees. This height difference means that male and female giraffes do not have to fight for food.

Like most other hoofed mammals, giraffes and okapis sleep standing up. The giraffe has only seven neck bones in its lengthened neck, which is the same number as most mammals, including humans. Both male and female giraffes have small horns, called ossicones, which are covered by skin. The horns are soft at birth, but become hard as the giraffe gets older.

Acacia trees host their favorite leaves. While these trees have long thorns, which prevent most animals from eating them, giraffes use their long tongues and prehensile lips to reach around the thorns. The dark color of their tongue is believed to prevent sunburn while reaching for leaves. Giraffes have thick, sticky saliva, which coats any thorns they might swallow. Giraffes can be found throughout sub-Saharan Africa. The giraffe gestation period is about 14 months, and an adult female giraffe typically gives birth to one newborn, called a calf, at a time.

When a calf is born, it is born feet first, followed by the head, neck, and shoulders. Female giraffes give birth standing up, so the young giraffe starts its life by falling more than 5 feet to the ground. About an hour after birth, the calf can already start to stand up and walk. Within a week, it starts to sample vegetation. In the nursery, the calves develop physical and social skills through play.

The young giraffes can eat leaves at the age of four months, but continue to nurse until they are six to nine months old. Giraffes hit sexual maturity between 3 and 5 years old. Giraffes are social animals.

They live in herds of about 10 to 20 individuals and they can be up to 50 members. Each member of the herd can leave the group at will. However, due to their size, giraffes do not hide from these predators. They are able to protect themselves from predators by staying in groups, as it makes it more challenging for the predator.

If they need to defend themselves, giraffes have a deadly, karate-style kick. Giraffes can also run very fast, around 35 mph, for short distances.

In many African countries, giraffe populations are slowly decreasing.