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Scientific name:

Giraffes are one of the most beautiful creatures in the animal kingdom. They are commonly called the Giraffe but the scientific name is Giraffa camelopardalis.

           

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What type of animal is a Giraffe and what do they eat? 

Giraffes are mammals and they are herbivores. They are between 14 and 19 feet tall and weigh anything between 1750 to 2800 pounds. Giraffes mostly eat the leaves of the Acacia tree.  They use their purple tongues to break the leaves of the tree, and their tongues can be up to 21 inches long.

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How tall are giraffes and how fast can they run?

Giraffes are one of the tallest animals on earth thanks to their long legs and necks. Males grow to somewhere between 16 – 20 ft. Females can grow up to 15 ft. Even with those long legs these animals can still run up to 35 miles per hour. Their height is totally used to their advantage as they can look out for other predators over long distances but is totally to their disadvantage when they drink water. Luckily they only need to drink water every few days and not on a daily basis. 

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Where and for how long do giraffes live?

Giraffes usually live in small groups. They are mostly found in Africa and live in the savannas.  They are able to freely move around tall trees and mostly feed on Acacia trees. The Giraffe has a lifespan of 25 years.

How does a giraffe give birth?

A pregnancy lasts 15 months.  A giraffe gives birth standing up. Once the baby is out of the womb, it drops about 5 ft to the ground but miraculously doesn't get hurt. Within 30 minutes after a calf is born it can stand up and walk.   

Interesting facts about the giraffe!

One of the saddest things is that Giraffes are being killed for their tails. 

 Killing a majestic creature that can grow to 18 feet tall and weigh some 3,000 pounds for a single body part is depressing, and the main reason it’s happening is for cultural pre-wedding practices.Congolese  men “use that tail as a dowry to the bride’s father if they want to ask  for the hand of a bride,” Leon Lamprecht, joint operations director for  African Parks, told NatGeo documentary filmmaker David Hamlin. Additionally, the long black hairs at the end of the tail are desired for good-luck bracelets, fly whisks and thread, according to the American Wildlife Foundation.

It is sad that people are killing all these wonderful animals! One day we would only be able to look at pictures of these animals as people are the greatest danger on earth.  

If you want to read more about these wonderful animals here are a few links to explore:

 http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/animals/giraffe.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/giraffes-pached-for-tails-congo_us_57b4c25be4b095b2f5423483

http://www.ajc.com/news/national/fast-facts-about-giraffes/lHfx30oBuByrPFwnlAEbYN/

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/g/giraffe/

I hope you enjoyed reading!