Help us improve the site by taking our survey. Some scientists contended that these animals could be divided into six or more species, since studies had shown that differences in genetics, reproductive timing, and pelage patterns (which are indicative of reproductive isolation) exist between various groups. The single offspring is about 2 metres (6 feet) tall and weighs 100 kg (220 pounds). Their primary food source is acacia leaves, which they browse at heights most other herbivores cannot reach. The genus Giraffa is made up of the northern giraffe (G. camelopardalis), the southern giraffe (G. giraffa), the Masai giraffe (G. tippelskirchi), and the reticulated giraffe (G. reticulata). Both sexes have a pair of horns, though males possess other bony protuberances on the skull. These animals evolved from the extinct family Palaeomerycidae 8 million years ago (mya) in south-central Europe during the Miocene epoch. The male (Masai Giraffe) Giraffa c. Tippelskirichi in stance at Tarangire National Park. G. camelopardalis arose around 1 mya in eastern Africa during the Pleistocene. Nevertheless, giraffes are still found in numerous national parks and game reserves. To cite this page: The Italian form giraffa arose in the 1590s The modern English form developed around 1600 from the French girafe. They must spread the forelegs apart in order to reach the ground with the head. Grants DRL 0089283, DRL 0628151, DUE 0633095, DRL 0918590, and DUE 1122742. Males join other bachelors when one to two years old, whereas daughters are likely to stay near the mother. The tongue and the inside of the mouth are lined with tough tissue that protects against the thorns. Is this a paid subject or did you modify it yourself? Giraffes are the tallest of all land animals; males (bulls) may exceed 5.5 metres (18 feet) in height, and the tallest females (cows) are about 4.5 metres. With forelegs braced, bulls swing their necks and club each other with their skulls, aiming for the underbelly. They, together with the family Antilocapridae (whose only extant species is the pronghorn), belong to the superfamily Giraffoidea. It is classified under the family Giraffidae, along with its closest extant relative, the okapi. Females first breed at four or five years of age. Though we edit our accounts for accuracy, we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts. There have been instances of bulls being knocked off their feet or even rendered unconscious. Giraffes eat new shoots and leaves, mainly from the thorny acacia tree. The main driver for the evolution of the giraffes is believed to have been the change from extensive forests to more open habitats, which began 8 mya. Giraffes usually inhabit savannas, grasslands, and open woodlands. “Camelopard” is an archaic English name for the giraffe deriving from the Ancient Greek for camel and leopard, animals which the giraffe was thought to resemble. The species name camelopardalis is from Latin. It is one of the larger mammal orders, containing about 200 species, a total that may be somewhat reduced with…, …side moving together, and the giraffe and the okapi always use this walking gait.

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