1. Giraffe
Giraffa camelopardali
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2. Giraffe factsheet H/A
At an average height of around 5 m (16-18 ft.), the giraffe is the tallest land animal in the world
Characterized by its long legs, long neck, and distinctive spotted pattern, many people first believed the giraffe was a cross between a leopard and a camel, which is reflected in its scientific name, Giraffa camelopardalis
Giraffes live primarily in savanna areas in the sub-Saharan region of Africa.
Their extreme height allows them to eat leaves and shoots located much higher than other animals can reach. In particular, they seek out acacia trees.
Their long tongues are helpful in eating because they help pull leaves from the trees.
Spending most of the day eating, a full-grown giraffe consumes over 45 kg (100 lb.) of leaves and twigs a day.
The male giraffe is both taller and heavier than the female.
Both sexes have skin-covered knobs, called ossicones, on the top of their heads. Female ossicones are smaller and have a small tuft of fur on top, while male ossicones are bald on the top. These knobs are used to protect the head when males fight, which involves swinging their necks at each other in a show of strength called “necking”
When giraffes walk, they move both legs on one side of their body and then both legs on the other side; this is unique to giraffes. However, they run in a similar style to other mammals, swinging their rear legs and front legs in unison.
They can reach 55 km/h (35 mph) at full speed but only in brief spurts
Giraffes sleep less than two hours a day. In general, they sleep with their feet tucked under them and their head resting on their hindquarters, but they can also sleep for short periods of time standing up.

3. Giraffe Factsheet M/A
Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) are the world's tallest mammals. They are well known for their long necks, long legs, and spotted patterns.
Their long necks help giraffes eat leaves from tall trees, typically acacia trees. If they need to, giraffes can go for several days without water. Instead of drinking, giraffes stay hydrated by the moisture from leaves.
Female giraffes typically give birth to one calf after a fifteen-month gestation period. During the first week of its life, the mother carefully guards her calf. Young giraffes are very vulnerable and cannot defend themselves. While mothers feed, the young are kept in small nursery groups.
Giraffes can be found in central, eastern and southern Africa. Giraffes live in the savannas of Africa, where they roam freely among the tall trees, arid land, dense forests and open plains.
Giraffes are hunted for their meat, coat and tails. The tail is prized for good luck bracelets, fly whisks and string for sewing beads. The coat is used for shield coverings. Habitat destruction and fragmentation are also threats to giraffe populations.
Giraffes are non-territorial, social animals. They travel in large herds that are not organized in any way. Herds may consist of any combination of sexes or ages.
Giraffes have small "horns" or knobs on top of their heads that grow to be about five inches long. These knobs are used to protect the head in fights.

4. Giraffe Factsheet L/A www.onekind.org/education/animals_a_z/giraffe
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.
Giraffes are sociable, peaceful animals which rarely fight. Males do perform a behaviour 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.

5. Pictures of abandoned animals.

6. Powerful, captivating and incredibly vulnerable to threats like poaching, loss of prey and conflict with people. Help us protect this endangered big cat.
ADOPT TODAY AND YOU’LL RECEIVE…
A cuddly snow leopard toy
My Snow Leopards and Wild World magazine three times a year
Factbook, certificate, bookmarks, stickers and more
THE THREATS TO SNOW LEOPARDS
Poaching, for their bones and precious fur
Loss of their natural prey due to hunting
Loss and damage of habitat due to overgrazing of domestic livestock
Conflict with people
Your adoption and support will help us:
train and equip anti-poaching patrols
promote sustainable use of natural resources in the region
work with local communities to monitor snow leopard movement and reduce human-snow leopard conflict
support compensation schemes for local farmers who have lost livestock to snow leopards
establish programmes to increase wild prey numbers
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7. Coloured finding features grid