| Animal | Giraffe |
| Scientific Name | Giraffa camelopardalis |
| Type | Birds |
| Diet | Mammals |
| Lifespan | 25 years |
| Size | 4.2 – 5.7 m |
| Weight | 793.7 – 1270 kg |
| Domain | Eukaryote |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Conservation status | Least concern > Near threatened > Vulnerable > Endangered > Critically endangered > Extinct in the wild > Extinct |
Giraffes, found in the sub-Saharan Africa, are the world’s tallest mammal and have very long necks. In the first year of their lives, they grow 1.2 m, the size of a seven-year-old girl, but usually die at this time because of lion attacks. If it grows older, its height protects it, but they must still be careful when bending down. Giraffes drink and rest in shifts to warn others of approaching dangers.
It’s easy for a giraffe’s height and good vision to be able to see surroundings and predators. Scientists think that animals such as wildebeests and zebras gather with giraffes to be warned of incoming danger. Since these animals are so tall, they tend to spend much of their day eating, especially in the morning and evenings. During the nighttime, they rest standing up.
A giraffe’s mating behavior is polygyny, meaning that while females only mate with one male, males mate with multiple females. Giraffes aren’t territorial and they mate the whole year. Males generally get into fights with each other and whoever the winner is gets to mate with a female. Females are pregnant for 13 – 15 months, usually giving birth to a single baby and infrequently twins. Males mate when they are eight years old.
