Rothschild's giraffe

Giraffa camelopardalis

Irish Name: Sioráf
IUCN Status: Vulnerable

Giraffes are the tallest mammal in the world, reaching a height of over five metres. They have a very long neck, long legs, and horn-like features called ossicones on their heads.

There is one species of giraffe and there are nine subspecies that are currently recognised. One of these subspecies, the Rothschild giraffe, makes up half of the herd at Dublin Zoo.  New research proposes that there are four species and five subspecies, but this has not yet been universally accepted.

 

Rothschild's giraffe

Giraffa camelopardalis

Irish Name: Sioráf
IUCN Status: Vulnerable

Giraffes are the tallest mammal in the world, reaching a height of over five metres. They have a very long neck, long legs, and horn-like features called ossicones on their heads.

There is one species of giraffe and there are nine subspecies that are currently recognised. One of these subspecies, the Rothschild giraffe, makes up half of the herd at Dublin Zoo.  New research proposes that there are four species and five subspecies, but this has not yet been universally accepted.

 

General Information

Where do they live?

Giraffes are found in savannahs, forests and deserts across southern, eastern, western and central Africa.

How long do they live?

Approximately 25 years in the wild, and longer in zoos.

What do they eat?

Giraffes mostly eat leaves and buds from trees and shrubs, particularly from the Acacia tree. They use their long prehensile (capable of grabbing) tongues to strip leaves from branches.

Group Name

Herd/tower

Zoo location

African Plains

Closest Related Species/Sister Species

The only close relative of the giraffe is the okapi, also found at Dublin Zoo.

Animal Class

Mammalia

Animal Order

Cetartiodactlya

Fun Facts

Tallest animal

Giraffes are the tallest mammal in the world! Even baby giraffes are taller than most humans.

Purple tongue

Giraffes have a dark purple tongue – it is believed that this dark colour prevents the tongue from getting sunburned while giraffes eat.

Sleep is a tall order

Giraffes sleep only a few hours every day, and generally only for short periods at a time. While they can be seen lying down to sleep, they can also rest or go into a kind of half-sleep while standing up. This is an adaptation for protecting themselves because lying down for long periods in the middle of the plains would leave them extremely vulnerable to predators such as lions or hyenas.

Quick on their feet

Giraffe calves can stand within an hour of being born. This helps the herd to keep moving to avoid predators.

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Family Life

Giraffes are social animals and live in herds of 10 to 20 individuals. They are not territorial. Giraffe herds are made up of females, their young, and some males - though some males prefer to live alone or in bachelor groups. Giraffe calves are born while their mothers are standing up so have a drop of about 1.5 metres when entering the world!

Baby Name

Calf

Gestation period

Approximately 15 months

Number of young at birth

Usually one

Weight at birth

Around 100 kg

Age at maturity

Females are sexually mature at around 4 years old and males around 6-7 years old.

Adult male name

Bull

Adult female name

Cow

Size male adult

Up to 5.3 m tall and approximately 1,200 kg

Size female adult

Up to 4.3 m and approximately 830 kg

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Conservation

Vulnerable

Giraffes are classified as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature

Current population estimate

Less than 100,000 individuals

Threats

Habitat loss due to increased agriculture and logging, poaching for their hide and getting killed by farmers when they eat or damage their crops.

What is Dublin Zoo doing?

In 2019, Dublin Zoo began providing support for the Nubian Giraffe Conservation Working Group via the Giraffe Conservation Foundation. The funding from Dublin Zoo is providing financial support for this group to implement a conservation strategy that includes investigating the current population and genetic viability of Nubian giraffes, in addition to identifying new areas in Kenya for Nubian giraffes to live.
Dublin Zoo is also part of the European breeding programme for Rothschild giraffes.

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Giraffe Conservation

See what Dublin Zoo is doing to help giraffes in the wild
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Giraffe calves at Dublin Zoo

The Zoo TV Series 9 Episode 4

💛GIRAFFE GALF💛Could there be another giraffe calf on the way to join Maeve’s newborn? Tune in to The Zoo TV Series at 6:30pm this Sunday on RTÉ One to find out!

Gepostet von Dublin Zoo am Freitag, 31. Mai 2019

FAQs

  • How tall is a giraffe?

    Males are around 5.3 m tall, while females are around 4.3 m.

  • How long are giraffes pregnant for?

    A giraffe’s gestation is around 15 months.

  • Are giraffes endangered?

    Giraffes were classed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, which means they are not technically endangered. However, giraffes face many threats in the wild and their population numbers are decreasing. Some giraffe subspecies are endangered or critically endangered.

  • How do giraffes sleep?

    Giraffes sleep only a few hours every day, and generally only for short periods at a time. While they can be seen lying down to sleep, they can also rest or go into a kind of half-sleep while standing up.

  • How long do giraffes live?

    Approximately 25 years in the wild, and longer in zoos.

  • What do giraffes eat?

    Giraffes mostly eat leaves and buds from trees and shrubs, particularly from the Acacia tree.

  • What is a baby giraffe called?

    A calf.

  • Where do giraffes live?

    Giraffes are found in savannahs, forests and deserts across southern, eastern, western and central Africa.

  • How much does a giraffe weigh?

    Males can weigh 1,200 kg and females around 830 kg

  • What color is a giraffe's tongue?

    A giraffe’s tongue is a dark purple colour – it is believed to be this dark colour prevents the tongue from getting sunburned while it is exposed to the sun as giraffes eat.

  • Do giraffes mate for life?

    Giraffes do not mate for life.

  • How tall is a baby giraffe?

    Around 1.8 m tall at birth.

  • What is a group of giraffes called?

    Herd/tower

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