Giraffe
Back to Animals
  
Photo Credit: Doug Kjos
Habitat: Giraffe are found in various parts of Africa. The reticulated or common giraffe is found in Kenya, Somalia and parts of Ethiopia.
Size and Description: Giraffe are the tallest animals in the world -- adult males grow to 18 feet, and females are 16-17 feet tall. Baby giraffe are six feet tall at birth and grown to nine feet tall within the first year. Adult giraffes weigh up to one-and-a-quarter tons (2,500 pounds). Giraffe are much like camels: knobby knees, droopy nose, and a hump on the back of their shoulders. Their thin, delicate legs are similar to those of a deer. Their front legs are taller than their back legs. Their long legs enable them to be swift runners -- speeds up to 35 mph allow them to outrun lions. Taking giant steps, they cover over 15 feet per stride. Their powerful legs are strong enough to kill a lion with one savage kick. Their legs also help hide them; they look like tree trunks. No two giraffe have the exact same spots. The spots are part of their protective coloration, allowing them to blend in well with tall trees. Nine different subspecies of giraffe are determined by the shape and color of their spots.
Diet:
In the wild giraffe eat the branches of the very thorny acacia tree. Here at the zoo they are fed alfalfa, grain and leaves.
Interesting Facts:
- Giraffe have a gentle disposition.
- Giraffe's only enemies are lions and man.
- Giraffe have only seven bones, or vertebrae, in their necks -- they same as in a human's neck.
- Giraffe can drink 10 gallons of water at a time and can go for long periods without water.
- A giraffe's heart weighs 25 pounds.
- A giraffe's gestation period is 14 months.
- Baby giraffe are six feet tall and weigh 150 pounds. Only one baby is born at a time.
- Giraffe have baby-sitters: all of the babies (calves) in the herd are left under the care of one female until the other mothers return at night.
- Every time a giraffe raises its head, it lifts 550 pounds, the combined weight of its head and neck.
- Giraffe's tall necks are like watchtowers, allowing them to easily spot their enemies. Their necks also allow them to reach food in the top of trees that other animals can't reach.
|
Hours
May: 10am - 6pm
June-August: 10am - 8pm
September: 10am - 6pm The Zoo will re-open Saturday, April 26, 2008
Admission
$6.00, ages 13 & up
$3.00, ages 4-12
Free, ages 3 & under
Wagons & Strollers
$2.14 Wagon $1.07 Stroller
|