African Savanna in California

Giraffe Exhibit
Head and Shoulders Above the Rest!

The Living Desert’s family of reticulated giraffes are here! Now reaching maturity in 2006, these 5 year olds stand almost 16 feet tall. By the time they are full grown, they will reach heights of 18 feet. These awesome creatures have taken up residence in our Giraffe Exhibit, an impressive three-acre compound that represents the first stage in the development of our African Savanna.

Everything about the giraffe is supersized. It is the tallest of all land animals. A full-grown giraffe can weigh up to 4,000 pounds, with a neck six feet long! Despite this length, a giraffe’s neck has only seven vertebrae, the same as a human. A giraffe’s head alone can measure some two feet (so does its heart!), and its feet can be as large as dinner plates. Speaking of dinner, giraffe can typically eat 75 pounds of food a day. Despite their size, giraffes move with amazing agility and grace.

The new Giraffe Exhibit includes towering palms and acacia trees, a watering hole and an elevated feeding station. An animal chat is done a the feeding platform daily by volunteer staff where visitors may be able to see the giraffes for an up-close view.

Reticulated Giraffe
Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata

What does it look like?
From 14-18 feet tall and weighs 1,750 -2,800 pounds. Although a giraffe is very tall, like humans, it has only seven neck vertebrae. Its long neck allows the giraffe to reach food high up in the trees. Its long tail is used to swat insects away. Long eyelashes and closeable nostrils protect against blowing sand. Upper lip acts like a finger to pull on tree branches while eating. The tongue, which can be up to 18 inches long, helps in eating. Hooves are the size of dinner plates. To drink, giraffes must splay their legs or kneel. Most giraffes are tan with irregular dark brown spots. The reticulated giraffe is tan with white markings. A giraffe’s spots are like fingerprints; each is unique pattern.

Habitat
Giraffes originally came from many different parts of Africa, mainly south of the Sahara, but today most can be found in national parks or game preserves. The reticulated giraffe can be found in northeastern Kenya.

Social Life
Male ranges are fairly stable with the dominant bull establishing his place among males by neck sparring. Female ranges are less stable, though females usually return to the same calving areas each year and males join the females occasionally. Gestation is approximately 15 months. There is only one calf (baby giraffe) born at a time. The cow (female giraffe) will nurse the calf for 9-10 months. A cow can bear her first calf at 5 years of age. A giraffe can live as long as 28 years and will stay in the same general area, which is about 29 square miles, for most of its life.

Predators
Lions are the only animals that will attack an adult giraffe. Lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas and crocodiles can kill young or weak giraffes and the survival rate of young is low. Although giraffes are protected from poachers, some still kill for their tails that are used to make bracelets and string. The hides can be used for shields.

Feeding
Giraffes are ungulates that ruminate. They eat shoots, leaves, fruits (particularly that of the sausage tree), and seedpods. Their favorite food is the acacia tree. They especially like the spiny acacia and the young whistling thorn acacia. Acacia trees contain almost all of the nutrients a giraffe needs except salt and calcium. A giraffe can consume up to 75 pounds of food in a 24-hour period. Although many animals try to avoid acacia trees because of their thorns, a giraffe’s mouth is almost puncture proof. Long thick hairs on its lips act as a shield. Giraffes can go a long time without drinking water when they eat acacia leaves that can be up to 74% water. Giraffes are water efficient because they do not sweat or pant.

Giraffes and Man
Giraffes need a lot of space in which to forage but their habitat is slowly shrinking due to an increase in farming. Today most live in national parks or game preserves. Though hunting is no longer allowed, in the past they were hunted for their tails and hides. There are some African ranches that raise giraffes for meat.

THE LIVING DESERT
Palm Desert / Indian Wells

Source: The Living Desert

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