The Giraffe or Giraffa is the tallest land animal in the world mainly found in Africa. They are identified by their long neck, leg and spotted coats. Most of the giraffes have a tan, yellow or white coats spotted with brown square type shapes.
So, How Much Do Giraffes Weigh?
According to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park giraffes are the tallest living animals. As they are tall animals thus they are heavy in weight. And that’s why their size and weight can vary.
How Much Do Baby Giraffes Weigh
Newborn baby giraffes(bubs) look tiny compare to their tall mothers. But they are born as tall as a human adult are. These baby giraffes weigh around 50 to 70 kg when they are small. Some statistics say at their birth time they weigh 125 to 150 pounds. And their standing height is around six feet or 1.8 meters.
How Much Do Male Giraffes Weigh
Male giraffes weigh around 2600 to 3000 pounds or 1179 to 1360 kg. They can grow up to 18 feet or 5.5 meters tall. At this height range, they can easily look into a second-story building or window. The neck of male giraffes are 6 feet or 1.8 meters long which is taller than average human and it can weigh up to 600 pounds or 272 kgs.
How Much Do Female Giraffes Weigh:
On the other hand, female giraffe’s weight can be around 1500 pounds or 680 kg and they can grow up to 14 feet tall.
As giraffes have a massive body, their organs and other body parts are huge too. Their tongues are almost 21 inches or 53 cm long and their feet are 12 inches or 30.5 cm across. According to San Diego Zoo, the heart of a giraffe can weigh around 25 pounds or 11 kg and 2 feet or 0.6 meters long. Their lungs can hold as much as 55 liters or 12 gallons of air.
How Tall Can Giraffes Grow?
The standing height of the tallest giraffe on record is 18 feet 8 inches or 5.7 meters. It is a 12-year-old giraffe named Forest from Queensland Zoo in Australia. George was also heavy weighing more than 5000 pounds or 2268 kg.
How Much Do Giraffes Eat?
Giraffes only eat plants and that’s why they are known as herbivores. Their height and long neck give them the advantage to reach leaves, seeds, fruits, branches etc high up in mimosa and acacia trees. Acacia trees are the most favorite food for giraffes. Also other plants including fruit, buds, herbs, vines, and flowers are their favorites too.
According to statistics, a giraffe can eat up to 75 pounds of food each day. They spend most of their time for eating. Although giraffes can live without drinking for weeks at a time as they get most of their water or moisture from the luscious plants they eat. It is thought that their dark-colored tongue prevents sunburn when it reaches to leaves.
Where Do Giraffes Live?
Giraffes are social animals like human beings. They like to live in herds of about 10 to 20 individuals. They can be up to 50 members. Grouped giraffes are called “towers”. They like to live in grasslands and open woodland areas, especially in reserves places.
Although they don’t have a strong social bond like other species. Only mothers with their offspring have ties.
How Long Do Giraffes Sleep?
On average giraffe sleeps for 4.6 hours per day. Although they like to sleep at night, during the day they get a quick nap too. They can sleep standing up as well as lying down. Their sleep cycles are quite short-lasting 20 to 35 minutes which is the shortest among all types of mammals.
How Long Do Giraffes Live?
Giraffes can live between 15 to 26 years in the wild which is slightly longer in captivity.
How Long Do Giraffes Stay Pregnant?
Giraffe’s pregnancy period can be 14 to 15 months or 453 to 464 days. One of the longest gestation periods among all animals. The usual birth to one offspring at a tie. Twins are born occasionally. As their gestation period is long they don’t give birth to another baby for 16 or more months.
Fun Facts:
>>After it’s born a giraffe baby can stand up within half an hour and can run after 10 hours!
>>Giraffe’s sleeping time is the shortest among any mammal.
>>Despite being their heavy size giraffes are usually very peaceful animals.
>>Like human fingerprints, all giraffes have different spots. Two individual giraffes have no same pattern.
>>Giraffes tong can be up to 45 cm long.
>>The Latin meaning for a giraffe is ‘Giraffe Camelopardalis’ which walks quickly.
>>Girafees can run up to 35 miles an hour over a short distance which is faster than the speed of most horses.
>>Giraffes spend most of their lives by standing up. Even they sleep and give birth standing up.
