Hechos sobre jirafas parte II
Some other interesting facts:
- Their neck is exceptionally flexible and moves from side to side when giraffes run.
- To drink water, giraffes have to spread their legs to reach the water level. (If their neck is useful for getting food, it is also uncomfortable for drinking water, maybe that’s why they can survive for a long time without drinking water, they hydrate thanks to the moisture of the leaves they eat, and when they drink water they can take up to 18 gallons at once!!!)
- The life of giraffes is approximately 20 to 25 years.
- A giraffe normally sleeps only between 1-12 minutes! (They sleep approximately half an hour a day, but in small naps).
- Giraffes are one of the few animals born with horns. (They can have up to 5 horns).
- Giraffes very rarely lie down; they even give birth and sleep standing up. (I don’t blame them, it must be too difficult to lift that big body).
- Giraffe calves start their lives by falling almost 2 meters to the ground.
- This breaks a myth that I used to believe (I had read it somewhere): Giraffes are not mute. They have vocal cords, but they use them very rarely. They don’t need them. Their monumental size allows them to see and communicate effectively with their eyes. (cool, right?)
- There are albino giraffes…
And I think that’s why I like giraffes, they have many unique and good characteristics… I like this description among the ones I found of how giraffes are “Magnificent in appearance, rare in shape, unique in their way of walking, colossal in their height and harmless in character.”
And that’s all for this not-so-short entry, after all. :$
Sources (for both entries):
- Girrafe
- ARKive
- The big zoo
- Mongabay
- Wild animals on line
- Random Giraffe Facts
- AWF
- Matt’s World of Wicked Giraffes
- Photos