The Giraffe
There are nine known giraffe species they are the: Nigerian, Nubian, Baringo Masai, Reticulated, Thornicroft’s, Kordofan, Angolan and the Southern giraffe. All the species have there own colors, patterns and they even have their own number of horns. The males get up to about 18 feet tall and weigh up to 4,200 pounds. The females grow up to 16 feet tall and weigh up to 2,500 pounds. Giraffes can live up to 25 years in the wild but if they are held in a zoo they live a little bit longer though. While these years in the wild young males and all females travel in herds. Adult males are normally by themselves, and spend their days seeking female attention. The adult males often fight over females using their big heads and long horns. They have very strong necks in which also come in handy. Females protect their babies by kicking their enemies. Giraffes only sleep about a half hour a day.
Giraffes eat many different kinds of leaves, from many different trees. Two of the most common trees are evergreen trees and shrubs. Adult giraffes are able to consume up to 140 pounds of foliage a day. Giraffes may also eat branches. These mammals usually travel with a little bird commonly known as “tick-birds” they got this name because they eat the ticks of other animals, but they could be called wax- birds because they eat the ear wax of giraffes too!