The Giraffe
What is Special about giraffes?
•They have
unusually long
necks
•Both male and
female have horns
•All giraffes
have different
patterns on
their bodies
•The tongue of a
giraffe is almost two
feet long
•The giraffe has
the longest tail
of any land
mammal. They
can be 8 feet
long
•The heart of a
giraffe is about two
feet long (the largest
of all animals)
Birth Of A Giraffe
•After about 15 months of
waiting the mother finally
gives birth to a baby giraffe
•A baby giraffe is called a calf
•When born the calf falls
headfirst to the ground about
six feet
•An hour after its birth it is
walking
Childhood of a Giraffe
•When growing up the calf will often
be left sitting alone while its mother is
out eating
•At four months the calf can start to
eat leaves
•The calf will leave its mother after a
year
•At about age 4 the giraffe will become
mature
Predators
•The lion, crocodile and hyena
are predators to the giraffe
•Humans are also predators
•They are hunted for: meat,
coat and their tails
•For defense the giraffe has
powerful legs to kick the
predator
Eating and Sleeping
•The tongue of a giraffe is
about 18 inches
•It is colored blue-black to
prevent sunburn
•They eat about 65
pounds of food a day
•At most a giraffe sleeps 2
hours a day
•When sleeping they can
stand up
Diet
•Eats twigs and leaves
•Favorite food is from the
acacia tree
•Also they like fruit
Home of the Giraffe
•All giraffes can be found in
Africa
•Mainly live in the savannah
or the grasslands
The Subspecies of Giraffes
• There are nine subspecies of
Giraffes
1. West African
2. Nubian
3. Rothschild (endangered)
4. Masai
5. Somali (most common in
zoos)
6. Tornicroft
7. Kordofan
8. Angolan
9. South African
•The main difference between the
giraffes is the pattern and variation of
color of their skin
A Grown Giraffe
•A full grown male weighs from
2,400 and 4,000 pounds and
can be 18 feet tall
•A full grown female weighs
1,600 to 2,600 pounds and will
grow to be 16 feet tall
•The average life span of a
giraffe is 25 years
Bibliography
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