Reticulated giraffe
Giraffes are threatened by habitat loss and changes, further compounded by increasing temperatures. Help giraffes by reducing your carbon footprint and saying no to single use plastics.
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Physical features
Male reticulated giraffes can reach heights of up to 18 feet, while females can reach 16 feet. Average adult weights range from 1500 to 3000 pounds.
Reticulated giraffes have large, polygonal brown spots outlined by cream colored lines. This “network” of markings is the origin of their name, reticulated.
Like humans, giraffes have seven vertebrae in their necks. Their neck is six feet long, and individual vertebrae are up to 10 inches long.
Their prehensile tongue is up to 18 inches long. It is a bluish-black color, which is thought to protect it from sunburn when browsing from the treetops.
They will walk with both legs on one side lifted at the same time, allowing for a longer stride, and can run for short periods of time reaching speeds up to 35 miles per hour.
The “horns,” or ossicones, are not true horns but bony protuberances covered with skin and hair. At birth, they are cartilaginous knobs that rapidly ossify.
The hoof size of an adult male is equal to the size of a small dinner plate. A giraffe will use its front feet to kick either forward or backwards, easily killing a lion with a swift kick to the head.
A specially adapted circulatory system helps pump blood up to the head. The heart can weigh over 24 pounds and pump 16 gallons of blood per minute.
Elastic blood vessels and valves in the veins in the neck, called the “wonder net,” act as pooling areas to control the rush of blood to the head when the giraffe lowers its head below the heart to drink or for a short rest (usually one to two minutes at a time.)
A giraffe’s lungs can hold up to 12 gallons of air. Human lungs can only hold 1½ gallons.
Giraffes are diurnal animals that will spend just over half of a 24-hour period browsing.
Range and Habitat
Range – Eastern Africa (Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia)
Habitat – Grassland or open acacia woodland
Diet: Herbivore
Wild – Very selective browsers, preferring new growth foliage of acacia trees; feed on over 100 species of plants, including mimosa and apricot, but primarily eat vegetation found at heights of 6½ feet to 16½ feet; bulls forage at higher levels than cows to reduce food competition
Zoo – Around 50 pounds of vegetation per day; Alfalfa, grain, collards, celery, romaine lettuce; favorite food treats are beet pulp and browse
Lifespan
Wild – 10 to twenties; more research needed for a more accurate estimate
Zoo – 20-25 years
Reproduction
Mating occurs year-round. Males, or bulls, reach maturity at three years, but expression of breeding behavior may be suppressed by older bulls. Females, or cows, may start to cycle before two years of age and have conceived at three years.
The gestation period is about 15-16 months. Cows give birth standing up, usually to a single calf but twinning has occurred. A six foot fall is a newborn giraffe’s first experience out of the womb.
Newborn calves weigh 100-200 pounds and are about 6 feet tall. Calves can walk within an hour or so of birth and will nurse for 6-13 months.
Calves begin to eat solid food at around 2 weeks of age but will not begin ruminating until they are 6-8 weeks old. They are fully weaned at 6-13 months.
In some population, females in a herd have been observed bringing 4 or 5 calves together in a type of giraffe day care called a crèche (pronounces /kreSH/, “cresh”). Females may rotate watching, but not nursing, the crèche so others can spend time feeding. It is unknown if this is a common practice in all populations.
Conservation: Endangered
What’s the issue?
Giraffe numbers have dropped by 30% over the past three decades. Habitat loss, habitat degradation and fragmentation coupled with human population growth and in some areas, illegal hunting, are the largest threats to giraffes in the wild.
Latest estimates by the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) suggest that there are less than 111,000 giraffes remaining in all of Africa.
As of November 2018, three of the giraffe subspecies are now listed as critically endangered (Kordofan and Nubian giraffe) and endangered (Reticulated giraffe), while others range from vulnerable (Thornicroft’s and West African giraffe) to near threatened (Rothschild’s giraffe).
Increasing temperature as a result from the changing climate will further compound habitat loss issues.
How does this affect humans?
The changes to the ecosystem, flora and fauna predicted to result from increasing temperatures and habitat loss will affect the humans that live there, including the ecotourism industry that some communities rely on. We also know that disturbances in the food web will lead to impacts on humans.
Wildlife-human conflict can develop from crop losses or damage from the giraffes or disease transmission between giraffes and livestock. Giraffes do not typically cause a threat to humans nor do they compete with livestock for food.
What is Zoo Atlanta doing to help?
In AZA zoos, giraffes are managed under Population Management Plans (PMPs) that provide basic breeding recommendations for species not requiring intensive management under an SSP. Zoo Atlanta is also supporting Giraffe Conservation Foundation through our Quarters for Conservation program in the 2019-2020 cycle. Even though some giraffe subspecies are considered to be among some of the planet’s most threatened large mammals, the Giraffe Conservation Foundation is the only organization in the world that concentrates solely on the conservation and management of giraffes in the wild. The foundation works closely with local governments and other partners to preserve giraffe populations and facilitate education programs across Africa.
What can you do to help?
While the distance is vast in terms of miles, the choices we make here at home bring us closer to the African savanna than we have ever been before. It’s predicted that by the year 2100, many of the savannas of Africa will resemble forests instead of wide-open grasslands. Africa is home to just 17 percent of the planet’s forests, yet deforestation on the continent is estimated to be four times the global average. Increasing temperatures result in a higher rate of water evaporation, reducing soil moisture and reinforcing drier conditions. Because giraffes typically do not migrate seasonally, these patterns create an environment for food scarcity. It is believed that migratory patterns of other animals such as wildebeests and zebras have an indirect impact on giraffe calf survival rates. These animals will not migrate during droughts, resulting in disturbances within the food web. Make choices that use energy and fuel responsibly. Become a conscientious consumer; reduce your carbon footprint by recycling, carpooling, and participating in meatless Mondays; and limit waste by saying no to single-use plastics like straws, food containers, and shopping bags.
Interpretive Information
Giraffes are the tallest land animals in the world.
A study was published in 2016 suggesting multiple separate giraffe species, but the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) currently still recognizes giraffe as one species with nine subspecies (Reticulated, Rothschild, West African, Nubian, South African, Angolan, Masai, Kordofan, Thornicroft).
Giraffes produce vocalizations such as alarm snorts, moaning, snoring, hissing, and flute like sounds have been reported. It is assumed that giraffes, like elephants, communicate infrasonically using frequencies too low to be detected by the human ear, but there is no conclusive evidence for this yet.
Herd sizes vary greatly and can be composed of either sex of all ages. Herds will sometimes feed or drink together. Lone bulls are also found in most populations.
Giraffes get most of the water they need from the plants they eat but will sometimes drink from a water source. To drink, giraffes spread each front leg far out to each side and lower the head and neck as far as possible, and are extremely vulnerable to predators such as crocodiles. Their only other predators are lions and humans.
Giraffes only need around two hours of sleep in a 24-hour period. This is achieved in quick naps that may last only a few minutes at a time. Giraffes can rest while standing but will also lie down with their heads resting on their rumps.
Other animals will herd with giraffes because they can detect danger early.
The bulls will test each other’s strength by “necking.” The bulls will slam their necks together, push, shove, and even wrap their necks around each other to determine dominancy.
The only living relative of the giraffe is the Okapi, which inhabits the closed-canopy forest of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Long ago giraffes were thought to be large camels with leopard markings and were called “Cameleopards.” Although not related to either, the giraffe’s species name, camelopardalis, is from the Latin form of cameleopard.
References
Burgess, A. (2004). Giraffe Husbandry Resource Manual. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums
Antelope/Giraffe Taxon Advisory Group.
Fennessy, S. (2019, July 10). Re: Quarters Champions Zoo Atlanta [E-mail]. Director of Giraffe Conservation Foundation.
Giraffe Conservation Foundation. (n.d.). Retrieved June 12, 2019, from https://giraffeconservation.org/
Maisano, S & Fraser, A. (2006). Giraffa camelopardalis. Retrieved March 8, 2012, from the Animal Diversity Web website: http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Giraffa_camelopardalis.html
Muller, Z., Bercovitch, F., Brand, R., Brown, D., Brown, M., Bolger, D., Carter, K., Deacon, F., Doherty,
J.B., Fennessy, J., Fennessy, S., Hussein, A.A., Lee, D., Marais, A., Strauss, M., Tutchings, A. & Wube, T. 2018. Giraffa camelopardalis (amended version of 2016 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T9194A136266699. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T9194A136266699.en. Downloaded on 08 June 2019.
Muneza, A., Doherty, J.B., Hussein Ali, A., Fennessy, J., Marais, A., O'Connor, D. & Wube, T. 2018. Giraffa camelopardalis ssp. reticulata. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T88420717A88420720. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T88420717A88420720.en. Downloaded on 08 June 2019.
San Diego Zoo (2012). Giraffe. Retrieved March 8, 2012, from the San Diego Zoo web site: http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-giraffe.html
San Francisco Zoo (Unknown). Reticulated Giraffe. Retrieved March 8, 2012, from the San Francisco Zoo website: http://www.sfzoo.org/giraffe
Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum. (2012, June 28). Africa's savannas may become forests by 2100, study suggests. ScienceDaily. Retrieved June 8, 2019 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120628130643.htm
Smith, B. (2018, December). Quarters for Conservation Proposal: Giraffe [PDF]
The African Savanna: Reticulated Giraffe [Word Document]. (2018, October 4). Zoo Atlanta.
Final draft of signage
What are the main threats to giraffe? (n.d.). Retrieved June 8, 2019, from https://giraffeconservation.org/facts/what-are-the-main-threats-to-giraffe-why-are-their-numbers-declining/
Zoo Atlanta Keeper Staff.
Updated June 2019