Giraffes Essay

Giraffes are and elegant and masterful animal. You may not think of giraffes as any of these things, but you will be surprised to know that a giraffe was once a gift fit for an emperor. This was precisely the case when the emperor of China decided he was to give a gift to the emperor of India. Giraffes are most known for their distinct features, but some less known features are just as equally fascinating.
Giraffes currently only live in parts of Africa. Their habitats usually consist of open woodlands, tree-dotted savannas, and plains. The giraffe’s only living relative is the okapi. Male giraffes are bulls, females are called cows, and babies are calves. . While elephants are the heaviest; giraffes are most certainly the tallest animals on earth; growing upwards of 20 feet tall.
Giraffes are browsers which basically means that they feed on twigs and leaves from the tops of tree but generally do not eat grass. A giraffe’s remarkably   long neck allows them to reach foliage that is otherwise untouched. Giraffes eat a lot too; up to as much as 66 pounds a day. Surprisingly, giraffes are rarely seen drinking because they receive most of their water through the consumption of acacia tree leaves. A giraffe uses its tongue to pluck leaves of branches, among other things. Like humans, giraffes have 32 teeth, except with one difference. In the top row where our teeth are usually located, giraffes have a bony ridge instead. This helps for biting off food. If it weren’t for giraffes’ long necks, most African animals would have to fight over ground-level food.
A giraffe’s body structures and movement is very different from that of other animals. A giraffe can weigh anywhere from 1,200 – 4,000 pounds during adulthood. A giraffe’s front legs are always longer than   their hind legs. An interesting fact about giraffes is that they move unlike any other animal in the world. When running, giraffes swing both legs on one side of their body and then both h legs on the other....