08 Giraffe

Giraffes are the tallest mammals on Earth and are divided into 9 different subspecies depending on the area they live in and the colouration of their bodies. They typically live in savannahs, sahel, and open woodland areas.

Giraffes eat mostly acacia leaves, but they also like mimosa leaves and apricots. They are able to eat thorny plants without injury because the inner surface of their mouth is hard. They don't drink too much water and can su rvive without water longer than a camel. When they do drink water, however, they need to spread their legs to reach the surface of the water, because their neck is shorter than their front limbs.

Giraffes only sleep 2-3 hou rs a day as they are usually on the lookout for predators such as lions and crocodiles. Individual giraffes can be identified by their pattern of spots, which is different for each giraffe. Like humans, giraffes have 7 vertebrae in their neck. However, the giraffe vertebrae are much larger — around 13 centimetres!

Baby giraffes begin life by falling to the ground from a height of nearly 2 metres, but they quickly learn to walk and soon they are running. For short distances, giraffes can reach speeds close to 60 kilometres per hour! In the wild, giraffes normally live 10-15 years, while in captivity, they often live closer to 25 years.

Word List

sahel : arid, desert-like area

thorny : sharp

You Practice

I. By the numbers—What do these numbers mean in the reading?

1) 2-3 hours_____________________________________________

2) 7____________________________________________________

3) 13 centimetres_________________________________________

4) 60 kilometres per hour___________________________________

5) 10-15 years___________________________________________

II. Answer the following questions.

1) Why is it so difficult for giraffes to get water.

2) What do you think would be one good thing and one bad thing about being a giraffe?

3) What are two ways in which giraffes are similar to elephants?

4) Would you like to be a giraffe? Why or why not?

5) What is one way that giraffes are similar to people?

III. True / False / Not Given—Write T if the sentence is true, F if the sentence is not true, or NG if there is no information about the sentence.

____ 1) Giraffes are heavier than elephants.

____ 2) Giraffes do not eat fruit.

____ 3) All giraffes have the same pattern of spots.

____ 4) Giraffes have to drink water several times a day.

____ 5) Some giraffes live in both Africa and Asia.