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| Read more about the giraffe. |
Giraffes are found only in Africa, and even there they have been killed in such large numbers by the hunters that they are becoming scarce. A million years ago they lived in southern Europe and much of southern Asia. Fossil bones of the giraffe have been found in Greece, Persia, and China.
In the earliest days of Egyptian history the giraffe probably lived in the jungles of that country. After it had disappeared from Egypt tame specimens were often sent there from the south. In later times giraffes were sent to Rome, where they marched in triumphal processions and were shown in the circus games. During the Christian era giraffes were sent at various times by Arab traders to Europe, as well as to Persia, India, and China.
People have always regarded giraffes with great interest, just as we do when we see them in circuses and zoological gardens. The great interest in the animal is due, in part, to its fantastic form. It may be as much as eighteen feet tall. Its body, however, is short, and it's back slopes gradually downward from the neck. Its front legs are not as much longer than its hind legs as they appear to be (about seven inches). It is so seldom heard to utter sounds that many people believe it to be voiceless.
At short distances the brilliant reddish brown and white markings make the animals very noticeable, although from a distance giraffes are said to be difficult to distinguish when standing quietly among tall trees. In different parts of Africa the coloring of giraffes varies slightly as does the shape of the reddish brown markings. The coloring is in the form of spots which may be almost round or very irregular in shape. One variety, known as the reticulated giraffe, is named after the network arrangement of the markings.
The horns, which may be present in both sexes, or only in the males, are usually two in number and located on the top of the head. A third, shorter horn, if present, is in the middle of the forehead. In some instances an additional pair of poorly developed horns grows at the rear of the skull. The horns are very short and they are usually covered with skin.
The great height of the giraffe is an advantage to it when it is feeding, for it lives almost entirely on the leaves and shoots of trees and shrubs. The long, flexible tongue aided by the protruding lips is used for gathering the food. The thick skin of the tongue and the dense velvety hair on the lips are protections against thorn pricks. As an additional protection against thorn pricks and blowing sand, the giraffe, like the camel, is able to close its nostrils tightly at will.
The long front legs and neck of a giraffe make it difficult for the animal to reach the ground; to do so it must spread its front legs far apart. This it rarely does, however, for giraffes do not eat from the ground, and they seldom drink. Some live in parts of Africa where water is not to be found; in fact, the Bushmen believe that giraffes do not drink at all.
In the open brush country they associate in herds numbering from six or seven to as many as forty or fifty. Because of their great height, keen sight, and well-developed sense of smell, they are difficult to approach. At a sign of danger they gallop away; their only other gait is a walk.
When a giraffe is fleeing from danger, it can go through dense scrub jungles, for its thick skin protects it from the thorns. The tough hide, which is about one inch in thickness, is extensively used for whips by the Boers and for sandals by the natives. The long hairs from the tails are much in demand for ornaments, and the meat is a very desirable food. As a consequence many giraffes are being killed and in regions where they are not protected, they are becoming scarcer year by year. Potter.
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