File:Giraffe standing in grass - DPLA - c15db26d625323f71f0e39a086fa5cf3.jpg

Scientific Classification: Kingdom: Animalia; Phylum: Chordata; Class: Mammalia; Order: Artiodactyla; Family: Giraffidae; Genus: Giraffe; Genus species: Giraffe camelopardalis.; Animal characteristics: Head-Body Length: 3.8-4.7 m; Height: 3.3 m; Weight: 550-1930 kg; Identification: The giraffe has a light coat with irregular dark spots. The exact coloration varies by location. The giraffe has one or two pairs of skin-covered horns and a long tuft of hair at the tip of its tail; Habitat: Savannas; Diet: Herbivore: buds, fruit, foliage of acacia and thorn trees, grass, plants, crops; Reproduction: Giraffes gestate for 400-468 days, giving birth to one (rarely two) young. The calf is weaned at 6-12 months and is considered full grown when it is ten years old. Longevity is 25 years in the wild; Social Structure: Groups of giraffes, called troops, are led by a male and include a female and her offspring. Sometimes larger herds will form; Behavior: Giraffes are largely nocturnal. Males wrestle (necking) with their head and necks, establishing a dominance hierarchy. Feeding behavior varies by sex - males feed with their heads and necks held as high as possible; females keep their necks curled over to feed at body or knee height; Status: No special status; Interesting Facts: The skull of a male is continuously laying down bone. Therefore, as the giraffe ages, more bumps appear on his head. A giraffe's tongue can be up to 46 cm long, enabling it to pull leaves off trees. The spots on the coat are like a fingerprint - no two giraffes have the exact same pattern. Giraffes fall into deep sleep, with their necks on the ground, for only five minutes a day; the neck is held vertically otherwise.