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The giraffe is a large ... The giraffe's distinguishing characteristics are ... heart must generate approximately double the blood pressure required for a human to ...
The Giraffidae are a family of ruminant artiodactyl mammals that share a recent common ancestor with deer and bovids.This family, once a diverse group spread throughout Eurasia and Africa, presently comprises only two extant genera, the giraffe (between one and eight, usually four, species of Giraffa, depending on taxonomic interpretation) and the okapi (the only known species of Okapia).
Although the okapi has striped markings reminiscent of zebras, it is most closely related to the giraffe. The okapi and the giraffe are the only living members of the family Giraffidae. The okapi stands about 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) tall at the shoulder and has a typical body length around 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in).
Giraffes feed on leaves, stems, flowers and fruits, so human population growth and habitat loss can hurt the species. Instances of drought have also led to increased human-wildlife conflicts.
A Penn State researcher has been trying to get to the bottom of the age-old question of why giraffes have long necks. Focus on research: Female giraffes drove the evolution of long necks, new ...
Here's an interesting fact about giraffes: they don't need much sleep. They sleep about 4-1/2 hours a day in 30-minute cycles. Baby giraffes sleep a bit more and depend on their mothers for ...
The current IUCN taxonomic scheme lists one species of giraffe with the name G. camelopardalis and nine subspecies. [1] [7] A 2021 whole genome sequencing study suggests the northern giraffe as a separate species, and postulates the existence of three distinct subspecies, [8] and more recently, one extinct subspecies.
In okapi, the male's ossicones are smaller in proportion to the head, and taper towards their tips, forming a sharper point than the comparatively blunt giraffe ossicone. Whereas female giraffes have reduced ossicones, female okapi lack ossicones entirely. The morphology of ossicones in the extinct relatives of giraffes and okapi varies widely.