26/06/2014
ANIMAL FACTS
The giraffe is the tallest mammal in the world, with even new-born babies being taller than most humans.
Baby Giraffes can stand within half an hour and after only 10 hours can actually run alongside their family.
Giraffes spend most of their lives standing up; they even sleep and give birth standing up.
Giraffes only spend between 10 minutes and two hours asleep per day. They have one of the shortest sleep requirements of any mammal.
Young giraffes hang out in nursery groups until they are around 5 months old, resting and playing together while their mothers forage in the distance.
Female giraffes give birth standing up. Their young endure a rather rude welcome into the world by falling more than 5 feet (1.5 meters) to the ground at birth. These infants can stand in half an hour and run with their mothers an incredible ten hours after birth.
Giraffes are sociable, peaceful animals which rarely fight. Males do perform a behavior called ‘necking’ where they will hit necks; however these encounters rarely last more than a couple of minutes and seldom result in injury.
Just like snowflakes and human fingerprints, no two giraffes have the same spot pattern.
Giraffes tongues are huge. They are up to 45cm long and are specially adapted to allow giraffes to forage on trees that other animals would avoid, such as acacias which are very thorny.
In New Age religion the giraffe is a symbol for intuition and flexibility.
Book at Edian Travels today for a Safari to see many more of these amazing animals.
