The Giraffe – a “High Blood Pressured” Mammal

Giraffe derives from the Arabis work “Xirapha”, meaning “one who walks swiftly”. While they are unable to maintain high speeds for long periods of time, they can run up to 35 miles an hour. This is useful to quickly move away from lions and other predators. On average giraffes can live from 20-28 years in captivity, and 10-15 years in the wild. There are 9 known subspecies living in various African regions of the family Giraffidae. The Angolan, Baringo, Kordofan, Masai, Nigerian, Nubian, Reticulated, Southern, and Thornicroft are all types of giraffes, and have different color patterns.

Giraffes begin their lives by falling 6 feet to the ground, and are roughly 6 feet tall at birth. The animal will continue to grow; most females average 14 feet tall and the males average 20 feet, making the giraffe the tallest land mammal in the world. Giraffes have just as many vertebrae in their neck as humans; however, each of the seven vertebrae is about 5 inches long giving them a neck roughly 6 feet long. These large animals will weigh anywhere from 3,000-4,000 (males), and 1,500-2,500 (females) pounds.

In order to get to that weight and size giraffes will consume roughly 77 pounds of food on average each day. Giraffes are herbivores, and seem to prefer twigs and leaves from the acacia tree which contain a great deal of water in the leaves. Luckily giraffes are able to go for days without water; this reduces their chance of being attacked by predators at a watering hole. However, when they do drink, an average adult giraffe will consume 12 gallons of water in one sitting. This is a challenging and dangerous task for a giraffe. In order to reach a watering hole they must sprawl their front legs to lower their neck and upper body. Once in this position, giraffes loose the advantage of being able to see predators approaching and are unable to quickly maneuver upright to sprint off if the need arises.

A giraffe’s tongue is close to 2 feet long, and they can use it clean their own ears. In addition, their heart is also almost 2 feet long, and will weigh in around 20-25 pounds. Do to their large size giraffes have one of the highest blood pressures of all mammals. Their heart must pump around 20 gallons of blood per minute, and their blood pressure is 2-3 times that of an average healthy human adult male.

Is the Giraffe an Endangered Species?

With so much information on endangered animals, people often wonder if the giraffe is an endangered species as well. With the title of the ‘tallest’ animal in the world, the giraffe has always been an animal that holds a special fascination for most people. With its graceful long neck and beautiful spotted fur, the giraffe is an animal that many around the world hope to keep safe from extinction.

The natural habitat for the giraffe is in Africa. There are many different species of giraffes in the continent. As of right now, two types of giraffe species are endangered in Africa. The West African and Nigerian giraffes are experiencing a rapid population decline and are currently labeled as endangered. The other species of giraffes are not yet classified as being endangered.

One of the reasons for the endangerment of the West African and Nigerian giraffe is poaching. Giraffe tails are known as good luck charms in certain parts of Africa. The meat of the giraffe is also very desirable, and is even considered a delicacy in certain parts of Africa. The fur of the giraffe is highly prized and is used for a variety of products such as clothing, rugs, purses, and even jewelry.

Although giraffes are frequently hunted by lions, humans that hunt giraffes for sport has significantly contributed to the population decline. In some countries, hunting a giraffe is considered fun for the entire family. Some families pay tens of thousands of dollars for the privilege of hunting a giraffe. The giraffe is a very beautiful animal and considered a valuable prize in trophy hunting. Laws against hunting giraffes vary greatly across African countries, and even when illegal, there is little or nothing done to deter the hunters.

To ensure that the giraffe does not become another animal that has become extinct, action must be immediately taken. There need to be clear laws in place against the hunting of giraffes for sport. Many are conflicted because some families in need only hunt the giraffe for survival. Even still, guidelines for the amount of giraffe hunted need to be put in place immediately. Of course these laws will not be effective if they are not strictly enforced.

The countries in Africa should make it a priority to join together in conservation efforts to protect the West African and Nigerian giraffe, although this is something which is rarely top of the political agenda.