The height of the giraffe, including the neck and head. Giraffe's growth

Giraffe lives almost throughout the whole of sub-Saharan Africa. The external appearance of this animal is so unusual that it is difficult to confuse it with any other animal. First of all, almost everyone has a question: "What is the growth of a giraffe?"

This mammal is the highest of all the now known animals. The height of the giraffe from the soil to the forehead reaches 6 meters! The weight of an adult male exceeds 1 ton. The female is a little lighter.

The height of the neck and head of the giraffe is 3 meters apart from the body. He has rather expressive eyes, covered with thick eyelashes. The ears of the animal are small and narrow.

On the forehead, both sexes have horns covered with hair. The coloration of the highest mammal varies greatly. Scientists note that there are no two giraffes with the same color. The pattern in the form of a spot is unique, like a fingerprint imprint.

The main color of the giraffe is yellowish-red. On it in a chaotic form are located chocolate brown spots. Young giraffes always have a lighter color than adults. Sometimes there are white giraffes. But this is a great rarity. They dwell in Kenya and Northern Tanzania.

Giraffe eating

It is no coincidence that the height of the giraffe (including the neck and head) is compared with the height of a two-story house. The long neck of the outlandish beast is the result of evolution. She is the first giraffe's assistant in the production of feed. The animal easily extracts leaves from the highest trees: wild apricots, acacias and mimosas.

In addition, the giraffe has a rather long tongue - 50 centimeters. Grass, creeping on the ground, animals rarely eat. After all, the height of the giraffe (including the neck and head) is 6 meters! This causes him to spread his front legs widely, and sometimes even to his knees. Approximately in this position, a tall animal drinks water from a reservoir. True, a giraffe can do without water for several weeks, replacing it with a juicy, moist food.

Giraffes in the herd

These animals form herds of 15 to 50 individuals. Often a group of giraffes combine with zebras, ostriches and antelopes. But this is a short-lived commonwealth. The growth of a giraffe obliges other tribesmen to bow their heads before him.

Despite their peaceableness, giraffes sometimes enter into a kind of duel between themselves. But at the end of the fight, the defeated giraffe is not expelled from the herd, as is customary in other animals. The six-meter height of the giraffe (including the neck and head), suggests the incoherence of a mammal. But in reality this animal is perfectly adapted to existence in the savannah.

Facts about giraffe

High growth allows the animal to see far away. Giraffes are considered day creatures.

In the morning they eat, and the second half of the day spend in a pleasant nap, periodically chewing gum. At night, a giraffe comes to a full sleep. They lay down on the ground, press forward the front limbs and one of the rear.

The head is laid on the other hind leg, stretched out to the side. In this position, the height of the giraffe, including the head and neck, is about 3.5 m. Even when sitting, the animal looks tall.

The geriatric period begins in July and lasts until September. Pregnancy of the female lasts about 450 days. A newborn baby weighs about 70 kg. The height of the giraffe, including the neck and head, is almost 2 meters. During childbirth, a herd of giraffes surrounds the tribesman, protecting her from possible danger.

Predators and giraffe

In addition to answering the question "What is the height of the giraffe, including the neck and head?", You can find out if it has enemies. In the wild, only lions dare to hunt the highest animal. Giraffe is able to overcome predators when they are in the Pride.

If a lion alone risks risking a giant, it can fail. The employee of one of the national parks became an eyewitness of such a case. The predator was about to jump onto the back of the giraffe to eat his cervical vertebrae.

But during the leap the lion missed and was hit by the strongest blows of the giraffe's hooves directly into the chest. Seeing that the lion does not move, the eyewitness came closer: the chest of the predator was crushed. That's how a peace-loving giraffe could stand up for himself!

Interesting Facts

Curiously, people basically ask: "What is the height of the giraffe?" But only a few fans of the majestic beast are interested in other information. For example, the heart of a giraffe weighs more than 12 kilograms!

With such a mass, it passes through itself about 60 liters of blood. This leads to very high pressure in the animal. Therefore, for the giraffe unfavorable sharp movements when lowering and raising the head.

Despite its high growth, the majestic animal can develop speed when running at a gallop over 55 kilometers per hour. This is a good opportunity for a giraffe to overtake a racehorse when running for small distances. But in fact an unusual animal moves imposingly, rearranging both front and rear limbs in turn.

By the way, the legs of the giraffe are thin. This allows the animal to move only along a flat surface. It is interesting that giraffes can jump, overcoming obstacles in 1,5-2 meters.

Scientists believe that the highest animal is not among the nomadic. Like many other species, giraffes keep within a clearly defined territory. It is noticed that the animals look alarmed outside their possessions.

Male giraffes do not tolerate rivals in their zone during the mating season. If the animal notices the competitor, then it takes a threatening pose, which is characterized by a stretching of the head upwards and a strained numb neck. Such a measure is usually sufficient for the opponent to retire.

In extreme cases, giraffes butt with each other. But such battles are safe. Animals lazily push each other, shaking their long necks. In most cases, the owner manages to drive away another's giraffe.

Small birds, water droplets - quite frequent guests around the neck of giraffes. They search for the skin of giant animals of larvae of flies, ticks and eat them. Water-clogs are a kind of sanitary aid for a giraffe in the African steppes.

How does a giraffe smell?

It is interesting that the highest animal exudes a strong unpleasant odor. So the giraffe drives away parasites from himself. The researchers found in the skin of an African animal a huge amount of antibiotics that can stop the spread of harmful bacteria.