Anatomy

Anatomy:

Height and weight: Fully grown giraffes stand 5–6 m (16–20 ft) tall, with males taller than females.The average weight is 828 (female) 1,192 (male) kg (1,825-2,628 lb).

Charcteristics

Its chief distinguishing characteristics are its extremely long neck and legs, its horn-like ossicones, and its distinctive coat patterns. The giraffe’s extremely elongated neck can be up to 2 m (6 ft 7 in) in length, accounting for much of the animal’s vertical height.

Breathing:

The shape of the skeleton gives the giraffe a small lung volume relative to its mass. Its long neck gives it a large amount of dead space, in spite of its narrow windpipe. These factors increase the resistance to airflow. Nevertheless, the animal can still supply enough oxygen to its tissues

Lifespan:

Giraffes have an unusually long lifespan compared to other ruminants, up to 25 years in the wild. Because of their size, eyesight and powerful kicks, adult giraffes are usually not subject to predation. However, they can fall prey to lions and crocodiles can also be a threat to giraffes when they bend down to drink. Calves are much more vulnerable than adults, and are additionally preyed on by leopards, spotted hyenas and wild dogs. A quarter to a half of giraffe calves reach adulthood