ANIMAL: Reticulated Giraffe Giraffa reticulata Type of Animal: Giraffe Habitat: Savanna, grassland, woodland, plains, scrub, forests (not rainforests) Location(s): N. Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia Appearance: Very distinctive, tall animal. Bulls taller, heavier, & darker than cows. Large, liver-colored spots on coat. Horns known as ossicones formed from ossified cartilage present on both sexes. Larger ossicones on bull. Tufts of hair on top of cow’s horns, bald on top of bull’s horns. Food/Diet: Twigs, tree thorns, leaves, fruit, grasses, trees, bushes, shoots, vines, herbs, shrubs. Have been recorded consuming up to 1000 different kinds of trees but all-time favorite is leaves and twigs from acacia trees. Status in Wild: Endangered Conservation: Breeding in zoos and wildlife parks Lifestyle: Found in herds of 10-30 animals, led by dominant bull. Many bulls found in bachelor herds of 5-15 animals. Some older bulls solitary. Additional Info: Called: Male-Bull Female-Cow Young-Calf Group-Herd/Tower Weight: Male-2,420-4,250 lbs Female-1,540-2,600 lbs Young-300 lbs Gestation: 15 months Height: Male-18 ft Female-15 ft Young-8 ft Body Length: 12.5-15.4 ft Life Span: 25-30 years Tail Length: 2.5-3.3 ft Main predators of adults are lions, crocodiles, & hyenas. Leopards, wild dogs, & cheetahs prey on calves. Bulls fight by necking, which is generally highly ritualized. Giraffes have very strong kick able to decapitate a lion. Even though calves have protection from mothers, up to 58% die from predators before they turn a year old. Giraffes generally very docile animals. Declining in wild due to habitat loss, disease, & hunting for meat/hide/tails. One of tallest land animals in the world. Fun Fact(s): Have excellent hearing & sight-in fact, they can spot a moving person a mile away. Calves can run after only a few hours at birth, though typically they’re kept hidden by mom. Giraffe tails prized as fly-whisks & good luck bracelets in parts of Africa. Giraffes have 7 vertebrae just like humans. Can run up to 35 mph. They can go weeks w/o drinking water, since they get most moisture from food.
