GIRAFFA CAMELOPARDALIS (GIRAFFE)

GIRAFFA CAMELOPARDALIS (GIRAFFE)

Contents hide
1) Introduction
2) Classification of Giraffa camelopardalis (Giraffe)
3) Geographical distribution
4) Habit and habitat
5) Comments on Giraffa camelopardalis (Giraffe)
6) Ecological Importance
7) Conservation Status of Giraffa camelopardalis (Giraffe)
8) Special features
9) Identification
10) Interesting Facts about Giraffa camelopardalis (Giraffe)

Introduction

The giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) is a striking mammal known for its extraordinary height, long neck, and unique coat patterns. As the tallest terrestrial animal, giraffes symbolize the magnificence of African savannas. Standing up to 18 feet tall, these herbivorous giants belong to the family Giraffidae, which also includes their closest relative, the okapi (Okapia johnstoni).

Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) play a crucial role in their ecosystem, acting as pollinators and shaping vegetation dynamics. Despite their iconic status, giraffes face numerous threats, including habitat loss, poaching, and climate change. Their population has declined significantly over the past century, earning them a place on conservation priority lists worldwide

Classification of Giraffa camelopardalis (Giraffe)

  • Phylum :- Chordata (Dorsal tubular nerve cord, notochord and gill-slits present.)
  • Group :- Craniata (Definite head, Cranium with brain present.)
  • Sub phylum :- Vertebrata (Vertebral column present.)
  • Division :- Gnathostomata (Jaws and paired appendages present.)
  • Super Class :- Tetrapoda (Paired limbs, lungs, cornified skin and bony skeleton.)
  • Class :- Mammalia (Body covered with hairs. Females have mammary glands.)
  • Order :- Artiodactyl (Even-toed hoofed mammals.)
  • Family : Giraffidae
  • Genus :- Giraffa
  • Species : camelopardalis
Classification of Giraffa camelopardalis (Giraffe)

Geographical distribution

Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) are native to sub-Saharan Africa and are distributed across several countries. Their range is fragmented into different regions, where they inhabit savannas, woodlands, and open plains.

  1. East Africa:
    • Found in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, including national parks such as Serengeti and Amboseli.
  2. Southern Africa:
    • Present in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.
  3. Central Africa:
    • Found in Chad, Niger, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
  4. West Africa:
    • A small population exists in Niger, primarily in the Sahelian woodlands.

Habit and habitat

Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) prefer habitats that provide a mix of open plains and woodland ecosystems:

  1. Preferred Habitat:
    • Thrive in savannas and grasslands with scattered acacia, commiphora, and terminalia trees. These trees provide the primary food source for giraffes.
  2. Social Structure:
    • Giraffes are social animals, often seen in loose groups called “towers.” These groups typically consist of females and their offspring, while males may form bachelor groups or live solitarily.
  3. Daily Activities:
    • Active primarily during daylight hours, giraffes spend much of their time feeding, traveling, and resting.
  4. Adaptations to Habitat: Their height allows them to access food sources unavailable to other herbivores, reducing competition.

Comments on Giraffa camelopardalis (Giraffe)

  • Commonly called as Giraffe. Tallest animals which have excited man’s curiousity since antiquity.
  • Mole stands 4 to 6 metres in height. Females are little shorter 3.5 to 4.5 meters in height.
  • Body contains brownish spots over all parts.
  • Body divisible into head, elongated neck, trunk, tail, chest and abdomen.
  • Head small containing small eyes, nostrils oblique ears and conical jaws. Head in both sexes contains 3 to 5 small horny horns covered by -velvety skin.
  • Lips leathery. Tongue prehensile extending 1.5 feet in length.
  • Neck quite elongated reaching upto leaves of trees.
  • Cervical vertebrae only 7. Legs long. Giraffe’s typically run by moving both legs on each side in unison. Fore legs longer than hind legs. To
Classification of Giraffa camelopardalis (Giraffe)

Ecological Importance

Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) are vital components of their ecosystems, contributing to biodiversity and environmental stability:

  1. Vegetation Management:
    • By feeding on tall trees, giraffes prevent overgrowth and promote the growth of shorter vegetation.
  2. Pollination:
    • As they feed, giraffes transfer pollen between flowers, aiding plant reproduction.
  3. Prey-Predator Dynamics:
    • Although adults are rarely preyed upon, giraffe calves are important prey for predators like lions, leopards, and hyenas.
  4. Habitat Creation:
    • Giraffes’ feeding behavior creates open spaces in dense vegetation, benefiting other herbivores and ground-dwelling species.

Conservation Status of Giraffa camelopardalis (Giraffe)

The IUCN Red List classifies giraffes as Vulnerable, with some subspecies being critically endangered. Key threats include:

  1. Habitat Loss:
    • Agricultural expansion, urbanization, and deforestation have significantly reduced their habitats.
  2. Poaching:
    • Giraffes are hunted for their meat, skin, and tail, which is considered a status symbol in some cultures.
  3. Human-Wildlife Conflict:
    • Encounters with humans often lead to retaliatory killings or habitat encroachment.
  4. Climate Change:
    • Altered rainfall patterns and temperature extremes affect the availability of food and water.

Conservation Efforts:

  • Establishing protected areas and wildlife corridors.
  • Anti-poaching initiatives and community-based conservation programs.
  • Raising awareness about giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) conservation.
Classification of Giraffa camelopardalis (Giraffe)

Special features

  1. Neck and Height:
    • Giraffes’ long necks, supported by seven vertebrae (like most mammals), enable them to reach heights of up to 18 feet.
  2. Unique Coat Patterns:
    • Each giraffe has a distinct pattern of spots, akin to a human fingerprint, which provides camouflage.
  3. Tongue and Diet:
    • Their prehensile tongues, which can extend up to 18 inches, are adapted to pluck leaves from thorny branches.
  4. Circulatory Adaptations:
    • A specialized cardiovascular system, including a powerful heart and valves in veins, ensures blood flow to the brain despite their height.
  5. Communication:
    • Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) produce low-frequency sounds, inaudible to humans, to communicate over long distances.
  6. Efficient Movement: Their long legs allow them to cover vast distances efficiently, with a gait that minimizes energy expenditure.

Evolution

Giraffes belong to the family Giraffidae, which originated around 25 million years ago. Fossil evidence suggests that early giraffids were shorter and resembled modern okapis. Over time, natural selection favored individuals with longer necks and legs, allowing them to access high food sources and spot predators. Giraffes’ evolution is an example of how environmental pressures shape anatomical and behavioral traits, resulting in the unique physiology we see today

Identification

  • Since the animal has elongated neck and all above features, hence, it is Giraffe

Most important example, given by Lamarck to explain his theory of organic evolution. Giraffe’s first defense is running. Their sounds limited to grunts and whistle-like sound. They are most vulnerable to attackers.

Interesting Facts about Giraffa camelopardalis (Giraffe)

  1. Giraffes sleep less than two hours a day, often standing up to avoid predation.
  2. Their tongues are darkly pigmented, which protects them from sunburn while feeding.
  3. Giraffes can run at speeds of up to 35 miles per hour over short distances.
  4. Newborn giraffes can stand and walk within an hour of birth.
  5. They are ruminants, chewing cud like cows, which aids in efficient digestion.
  6. Giraffes have the same number of neck vertebrae as humans—seven—but each is elongated.
  7. A giraffe’s heart weighs about 25 pounds and can pump 16 gallons of blood per minute.
  8. Giraffes rarely drink water, obtaining most of their moisture from their diet.
  9. Despite their size, giraffes are surprisingly graceful swimmers.
  10. Giraffes use their necks in dominance battles, a behavior known as “necking.”.

References

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