Giraffes are graceful herbivores with long necks. They have long legs as well as necks, and the unique way they run -- both legs on each side leave the ground at the same time -- gives giraffes an impressively long stride, allowing them to cover long distances quickly and without expending much energy. giraffes image by Robert Ulph from Fotolia.com. Giraffe rest on their feet. They have very short sleep requirements, averaging only 1.9 hours per day. Test your knowledge on topics ranging from movies to history. Adult giraffes' size intimidates many potential predators, so younger giraffes are more vulnerable. Giraffes become more vulnerable while drinking water because they have a long neck to bend while drinking. Shape The World. Giraffes are the fastest runners and move so swiftly that it is difficult to hunt them. Empower Her. The giraffe’s long legs may look like poles, but they are actually very powerful. Bulls tend to feed at full stretch with their heads tipped upwards. The world's tallest land animal has lost 40 percent of its population in just 30 years, and recent reports show poaching and wildlife trafficking are contributing to this decline. To defend themselves or to escape, giraffe can kick with … In a fight, one giraffe can break another’s neck. They are the tallest animals on the planet, found in Africa in dry zones south of the Sahara Desert. Don’t let their lanky long legs fool you! So predators mostly hunt the young and weak giraffes first. The teaching resource can be used in study group tasks for discussion about giraffes, as well as animal adaptations and survival in the wild. It can do this either with its legs or by pushing with its neck. If they sense any bit of danger, they’ll wait. Besides making a giraffe appear to predators too big to tackle, the animal's height, combined with its extremely acute long-range vision, enables it to detect predators from great distances. This gives the giraffe an opportunity to run away before the predator … Male giraffes stand about 18 feet tall, and females about 16 feet. They are well-skilled in the form of self-defense. Nature gave the giraffe several nonviolent characteristics that help it survive. In order to defend itself, it can actually knock even big cats out so they become unconscious for a while. Ticks are known to infest them, especially in the area around the genitals, which has thinner skin than other areas. Giraffes are docile herbivores, but defend themselves with their hooves if attacked. The giraffe was given several nonviolent features that help nature survive by it. Giraffes defend themselves by kicking towards the lion. Giraffe’s height and vision play a vital role in their survival. Giraffes live in woodlands and open plains. The giraffe (Giraffa) is an African artiodactyl mammal, the tallest living terrestrial animal and the largest ruminant.It is traditionally considered to be one species, Giraffa camelopardalis, with nine subspecies.However, the existence of up to eight extant giraffe species has been described, based upon research into the … Additionally, they target pregnant female giraffe as she can’t move swiftly. Joining Trivia sharp is free! Online Quiz website to test and understand your knowledge. What Are the Special or Interesting Body Parts of Giraffes? What they do is they gather in herds so that others can watch for predators. Giraffe tails are highly prized by many African cultures and are used in good-luck bracelets, fly whisks, and even thread for sewing or stringing beads. If frightened they may feel the need to defend themselves. Did a Baboon Work as a Railroad Signalman. They are the tallest animals on the planet, found in Africa in dry zones south of the Sahara Desert. Its head resembles that of a giraffe, but it does not have the giraffe's long neck. How to Tell if a Giraffe Is Male or Female, The Habitats of Giraffes, Lions & Elephants. As the tallest animals to cross this planet’s surface, giraffes are surprisingly vulnerable to predators. To drink, a giraffe must spread its front legs and lower its neck, putting itself in an exposed position that leaves it vulnerable to attack from predators like lions. Giraffes typically have one or two horns on the tops of their heads. Identify plant defense responses to pathogens. Lions may leave claw marks (scars) on a giraffe's hindquarters. It could be used as a printed handout for each pupil to review and annotate, … Giraffes are blessed with many non-violent characteristics that help them to survive. Aside from humans, crocodiles and lions are giraffe’s only predators. However, due to their size, giraffes do not hide from these predators. For more information on the giraffe have a look at Giraffe: Part 2 where we talk about the scientific classification of giraffes, their distribution, habitat and social organisation. Giraffes may look very silent but they have powerful weapons like leg, neck, and horns to face any carnivores like a lion. Are you curious to know how giraffes defend themselves? Giraffes also protect themselves and their calves by being observant. The okapi is a member of the giraffe family with distinctive stripes on its legs. Sabrina Corgatelli, a big-game hunter, appears on NBC Today to defend her recent trip to South Africa where she shot a giraffe. Height and Vision Besides making a giraffe appear to predators too big to tackle, the creature's stature, along with its long range vision that is extremely acute, enables it to detect predators from great distances. Also, various species offer a form of protection to them. Those species sit on giraffes and pick parasites. The giraffe’s height is important to its survival. Their large and heavy hooves can break the back of a lion. Giraffe Primary Resource ... defend themselves from predators and fight for dominance amongst each other. If they eat leaves like acacia they can survive without water for a longer time. This is exactly the case when a pride of lions try and take down a huge giraffe. The impact of a single kick in the head or a sensitive part of a predator is enough to kill it, but the experienced predators are extremely cautious, and therefore know the exact moment to attack. A giraffe defending itself from a pride of lions in the Kruger National Park makes for some riveting viewing. Giraffe populations have suffered a dramatic drop of 36-40% over the past 30 years and are considered as vulnerable to extinction. A single kick from a giraffe on the head or sensitive part can kill any predator. Her articles have appeared in several trade and business publications such as the Houston Chronicle. Giraffes defend themselves with front and rear kicks. PART OF WILD SKY MEDIA | FAMILY & PARENTING, World Animal Foundation: Giraffe Fact Sheet. Some parasites also feed on giraffes. A giraffe can shatter a lion’s skull and break other bones in the lion’s body with a single kick. Giraffes defend themselves against predators by kicking with their long legs. From time to time, an adult giraffe is attacked by a leopard, but the lion is the only carnivore that stands a chance of defeating a healthy giraffe. Johnson also co-authored a series of communications publications for the U.S. Agency for International Development. The giraffe’s long legs may look like poles, but they are actually very powerful. Guess These Medical Terms Correctly, Top 7 Astonishing International Christmas Traditions around the World, The Most Tragic Characters in TV Series History, 9 Most Daring Dresses That Have Been Worn to ACM Awards, 50 Interesting & Lesser Known Animal Facts, Everything You Need to Know about Blue Hen. Even lions only dare attack them when in a large group – and even that doesn’t occur often. Their sharp tusks or pointed antlers can protect them when the predator’s attack. A giraffe can shatter a lion’s skull and break other bones in the lion’s body with a single kick. Meanwhile, several species of birds provide a form of protection to giraffes by perching on them and picking at parasites that could potentially weaken and sicken giraffe hosts. Giraffe vision relies mainly on their height. You’d have to be one hungry lion to want to hunt a giraffe! Unless it is drinking or in some other vulnerable state, an alert and healthy adult giraffe is well-positioned to defend itself from most predators. They protect themselves by kicking either with the fore or hind feet which are strong enough to kill a lion. They use their tongues to remove parasites from their faces, too. How Are the Long Necks of Giraffes Adapted to Their Lifestyle? Giraffes can go days at a time without drinking water. The giraffe’s most powerful protective asset is a powerful kick it gives with its front feet, with a force strong enough to kill a lion. The giraffe’s most powerful protective asset is a powerful kick it gives with its front feet, with a force strong enough to kill a lion. Based in Central Texas, Karen S. Johnson is a marketing professional with more than 30 years' experience and specializes in business and equestrian topics. You’d have to be one hungry lion to want to hunt a giraffe! © 2020 WILD SKY MEDIA. Learning Objectives. These don’t grow very big and aren’t sharp, but they do protect their heads in the occasional headbutting that occur among males. Their long tongues are not only long enough to reach the leaves they need but are also very tough, allowing them to eat thorns as well. This matters to the giraffe's survival in a way other than hydration: Because giraffes must position their bodies in positions of vulnerability when they drink, they don’t do it often. Their height allows giraffes a continual visual contact while at great distances from their herd. Giraffes defend themselves by kicking towards the lion. Plants defend against pathogens with barriers, secondary metabolites, and antimicrobial compounds. And you may wonder how it can defend itself from other animals. They also fight with their neck because the neck is the most maneuverable weapon for them. They also run at speed of 50 km/h for sustained periods. Giraffes keep watch for attackers most of the day. Besides the fact that giraffe is too big to tackle. Only a portion of attacks are fatal. How does a giraffe defend itself? She holds a Bachelor of Science in speech from UT-Austin. In the RPG. These are powerful animals, and a full grown giraffe can defend itself against most predators. Bill and Barbara Westbrook were visiting the Kicheche Bush Camp in Masai Mara, Kenya for the seventh time when they spotted a giraffe … Nature gave the giraffe several nonviolent characteristics that help it survive. Animals may also attack for food if they think the risk is worth the reward. Facts About Migration Patterns for Giraffes. A giraffe can defend itself with powerful kicks which can kill a predator when well-placed. They have the ability to completely close their nostrils to keep sand and dust out during African dust storms. Female giraffes travel from one place to another along with young giraffes. These are their primary and most powerful weapons that save them from death. Females travel together, along with young giraffes, which are especially vulnerable. Giraffe corpses are skinnable. When you’re as tall as a giraffe, you tend to stick out. They protect themselves by kicking either with the fore or hind feet which are strong enough to kill a lion. Giraffes Defend Themselves If a giraffe feels that it is under threat, it may decide that it needs to defend itself. This height works to the giraffes' advantage, allowing them to see long distances. Be Her Village. If a predator can bring it down, no matter the size, they’ll go in for the kill. Giraffes defend themselves against predators by kicking with either the fore or hind feet. How Good Is Your Spelling? Their heights can frighten predators. They eat the leaves from the tops of trees. A single blow from the front hooves can kill or cripple a lion. This section contains information from the Warcraft RPG which is considered non-canon. But the giraffe's unique blotchy coloring camouflages the herbivore while it eats leaves off trees. Giraffe’s spots are similar to human fingerprints. Giraffe Kicks Lions To Defend Itself In the human world, we can get away with saying “Pick on someone your own size”, but in the animal world, it’s fair game. Many plants have impenetrable barriers, such as bark and waxy cuticles, or adaptations, such as thorns and spines, to protect … Perhaps the best-known giraffe celebrity in history is Zarafa, … By clicking “Sign Up" you are agreeing to our privacy policy. They have a long-range vision which helps to observe predators accurately. Giraffes can eat hard plant food such as leaves. Lions have been known to take down young or infirm giraffe. Predation by lions on calves less than a year old may be intense. How Many Inches Is an Adult Giraffe's Tongue? These weapons can save them from death. Something interesting information about their vulnerability to predators relates to their feeding habits. Key Takeaways Key Points. Evolution has made sure that its kick is strong enough to disable or kill a predator, which is why even the fiercest carnivores will generally only attack an adult giraffe if truly desperate, starving or plain stupid. Giraffes get water from the moisture contained in the leaves they eat and by consuming several gallons at a time when they do drink. A giraffe doesn’t kick out of aggression, of course, but only when frightened and attempting to defend itself. Their sharp tusks or pointed antlers can protect them when the predator’s attack. Giraffe are quiet, but they can make a variety of sounds including grunts, hisses, coughs (by courting males), bellows (by females calling their young) and whistles. Giraffes protect themselves from intruders with their legs. They defend themselves with horse-like forward kicks with their front legs. Zarafa The Giraffe. Are you curious to know how giraffes defend themselves? Adult giraffes' size intimidates many potential predators, so younger giraffes are more vulnerable. The giraffe can actually swing it’s long neck really fast and hit an animal. The acute eyesight of giraffes can spot predators at a distance so they can prepare to defend themselves … ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Not only do giraffes have a powerful kick, they are fast and their speeds can reach up to 35 mph.