Speaking of wild animals in Africa, giraffes with exquisite patterns and peculiar shapes often come to mind first. Living in southeastern Africa, they often like to live in groups in dry savannah and semi-desert areas.
Features of giraffes.
When standing to 6~8 meters, it weighs about 700 kilograms, and the newborn baby giraffe is 1.5 meters high.
There is a pair of bony short horns on the top of the head, and the skin and hair at the corners are covered; the neck is particularly long about 2 meters, and the back of the neck has a mane.
The body is short, the hooves are broad, and the tail is short with black tufts of hair.
Check out these fun facts about giraffes.
1. Giraffes rarely sleep.
They are so large that we think they need a lot of sleep to get a good rest, but that's not the case. It takes 2 to 3 hours a day, and 5 to 7 minutes of sleep at a time is enough.
In the wild, they can even stand up to sleep in order to escape in case of danger. If they are lying on the ground, their long necks form an arch.
2. Giraffes have very long tongues.
A giraffe's tongue is as long as its neck. This length can even reach 50 centimeters, which allows them to eat their favorite food, acacia.
Acacia leaves can avoid thorns when feeding. In addition, the tongue can also be used as a cleaning tool for cleaning ears, picking nostrils, or pulling out thorns that pierce the skin.
3. Age spots.
Spots on a giraffe's skin can indicate their age, especially in males. The deeper the mark, the older it is. The color of the coat also indicates the male's sexual maturity.
4. The speckle pattern is as unique as a fingerprint.
No two giraffes have the same spot pattern. Like human fingerprints, these are very unique.
This detail can be used to disguise itself, regulate temperature, and identify each other. The shape of these spots appears to be passed from mother to son, although the reason is unclear.
5. Giraffes can tolerate thirst very well.
They can live without water for days because when they do, they can drink up to 45 liters at a time.
This allows them to spend up to three weeks in arid regions without tasting a drop of water.
6. Speed.
The large size of giraffes doesn't stop them from moving fast. They can reach speeds of up to 50 km/h. But this also only works for short distances, as they get tired quickly.
They can maintain a speed of 10 km/h over long distances.
What else do you know about giraffes?
