Giraffes

by Katie N. & Molly F.

CLASSIFICATION     GENERAL INFO    HABITAT    DIET     REPRODUCTION          BODY SYSTEMS             HUMAN IMPACT         WEBLINKS        SOURCES  

 

CLASSIFICATION:

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Girragadae
Genus species: G. camelopardalis

REPRODUCTION 

Fertilization of a giraffe  is internal. It has seperate sexes. Giraffes gestation period is 15 months. They have live babies in the scattered herds and loose groups.  
Mating is not seasonal. Calves are usually 6 feet tall and can weigh 100-150 lbs. While adult weigh up to 4,000 lbs. and can be 16-19 feet tall. 

The tongue of a giraffe is 45 cm long, that's 18 inches!

Life span of a giraffe is 25 years.

Giraffes have a long neck , and greatly elongated vertebrate. which makes them the tallest animal in the world

Females in the herd are most alert to danger.

Giraffes live up to about 25 years in the wild.

No two giraffes have the same pattern of spots.

BODY SYSTEMS:

Giraffes lungs are eight times the size of human lungs. A giraffe's heart can weigh up to 24 pounds.  (LOTS OF LOVE) It has to generate double the normal blood pressure, and flow against gravity up to the brain.  Giraffes ingest and digest their food in an internal cavity. They have a closed circulatory system, and are endothermic.  Giraffes have an eucoloem. Giraffes excrete their nitrogen waste as urea.

DIET: Giraffes diet is mostly the leaves and shoots of trees and shrubs. They are supplemented by climbers, vines and some herbs. They are grass eating herbivores. 

HUMAN IMPACT: Giraffes are threatened by the lost of their precious habitat and carelessness of humens.
They are protected by hunting laws but still have poachers. Although giraffes are not in immediate danger.

 FUN WEBLINKS:

http://www.honoluluzoo.org/giraffe_quiz.htm If you stare at the picture long enough you will see a giraffe