Giraffe

GIRAFFE

Power Point by: EH

INTRODUCTION My animal is the giraffe The scientific name is Giraffa Cameiopardalis Giraffes are mammals There are a lot of different kinds of giraffes

PHYSICAL FEATURES For males the head and body length is

15-19 feet. Height to the horns tips is 15-18 feet. Males weigh 1700-4200 pounds. Females weigh 1200-2600 pounds. The female giraffe is 13-16 feet tall. The giraffe has the longest tail of any

land mammal. Their tail can grow to be 8 feet 24

meters long.

PHYSICAL FEATURES CONTINUED

No two giraffes have the same spots. Their horns are short and are covered with skin and

hair. They have large hooves. Giraffes have large sandy to chestnut, spots closely

spaced on a lighter background. Giraffes have long necks to get food up on the trees.

LIFE SPAN Healthy giraffes live about 25 years in

the wild.

HABITAT They live in Africa in Okapi. Giraffes make their homes in the forest. In Okapi they have open woodlands.

CLIMATE The weather is very hot in Africa. They like to live in the hot grasslands. They stay cool under tall trees.

FOOD Giraffes are herbivores. They eat leaves on the tallest trees. The giraffes twist their tongue around

the branch to pull the leaves. Giraffes have 32 teeth, but no top front

teeth.

PREY Giraffes do not prey on animals. Lions hunt giraffes. Giraffes kick and run away from lions.

BEHAVIOR A mother giraffe kicks the enemies to

scare them to keep the baby giraffes safe.

Giraffes like to hug each other.

REPRODUCTION Giraffes breed between July and September. They carry the baby for 14 months. When the baby is born it weighs 100-150 pounds. The babies are standing and nursing from their motheran hour after birth.

PHYSICAL ADAPTATIONS The giraffes have a long neck because they need to reach the leaves to eat. They have a lot of competition in the grass where they eat leaves. Giraffes have long legs to run away from lions and to keep safe and not be eaten. Giraffes have long tongues to reach the leaves that are high up above the giraffes.

BEHAVIORAL ADAPTATIONS

Giraffes drink a lot of water at once, so that they can go days with out drinking water.

They kick their back legs at predators to defend themselves

They try not to bend their long neck down because it leaves them open to being attacked. That’s why they don’t drink often.

They sleep standing up and they always leave one eye open and the other eye closed so they can see predators coming toward them.

PHYSIOLOGICAL ADAPTATIONS

Giraffes have tiny veins in their neck to prevent black outs when the lower their head.

They have good eye sight. To see their prey and communicate with other giraffes that

are far away.

FUN FACTS Giraffes have a blue tongue. Giraffes have the largest heart of all mammals. Giraffes have four stomachs. All giraffes have different spots.