Giraffe

The Giraffa camelopardalis (Giraffa camelopardalis) is associate degree African mammal, the tallest living terrestrial animal and therefore the largest ruminant. Its species name refers to its camel-like form and its leopard-like colouring. Its chief distinctive characteristics ar its very long neck and legs, its horn-like ossicones, and its distinctive coat patterns. it's classified beneath the Giraffidae, beside its nighest surviving relative, the okapi. The 9 taxon ar distinguished by their coat patterns.

The giraffe's scattered vary extends from Chad within the north to African nation within the south, and from Niger within the west to African nation within the east. Giraffes sometimes inhabit savannahs, grasslands, and open woodlands.Giraffes ar preyed on by lions; their young are targeted by leopards, noticed hyenas, and African wild dogs. Giraffa camelopardalis ar gregarious and will furl massive aggregations. Males establish social hierarchies through "necking", that ar combat bouts wherever the neck is employed as a weapon. Dominant males gain sexual union access to females, that bear the only real responsibility for raising the young.

The Giraffa camelopardalis has intrigued varied cultures, each ancient and fashionable, for its peculiar look, and has typically been featured in paintings, books, and cartoons. it's classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as Least Concern, however has been extirpated from several components of its former vary, and 3 taxon ar classified as vulnerable. yet, giraffes ar still found in various national parks and game reserves.The long neck results from a disproportionate continuance of the cervical vertebrae, not from the addition of additional vertebrae. every neck bone is over twenty eight cm (11 in) long.They comprise 52–54 p.c of the length of the giraffe's backbone, compared with the 27–33 p.c typical of comparable massive ungulates, together with the giraffe’s nighest living relative, the okapi.This elongation mostly takes place once birth, as Giraffa camelopardalis mothers would have a tough time organic process to young with identical neck proportions as adults.