The Facts About Reticulated Giraffe
The reticulated giraffe (Giraffa reticulata) is one of the most interesting animals in Africa in terms of its impressive beauty and grace. This subspecies of giraffe is native to the arid and semi-arid areas of northern Kenya, southern Ethiopia and Somalia and can be easily identified by its own pattern of coat colouring: a network of bright orange-brown spots bordered by slender white lines nearly akin to a mosaic. Although the reticulated giraffe is one of the most recognisable animals on the African savannah, it is one of the least known species regarding its behaviour, ecology and conservation status. These are some of the interesting facts that depict the outstanding world of the reticulated giraffe.
An exclusive and beautiful coat design.
The geometric pattern of the coat of the reticulated giraffe is the most distinctive one. The term ‘reticulated‘ is literally translated as ‘net-like’, which captures the complexity of the network of white lines between the polygon-shaped patches. This is not only the fashion of beauty, but this is also a disguise, fitting in perfectly with the light and shade of the savannah trees, dotted with plenty of them.
The pattern of each giraffe is also individual, just like human fingerprints, and this enables the researcher to identify individuals in the wild. Their coats are also one of the most photographed in Africa, as the contrast is so sharp.
Height and Physical Characteristics.
One of the tallest land animals on the planet is the reticulated giraffe. Adult men may have heights up to 5.5-6 metres (18-20 feet), and females usually have a height of circa 4.5-5 metres (15-17 feet). Their legs are sometimes taller than an average adult human being, their long necks consist of only seven vertebrae, and as such, they can browse foliage where other herbivores cannot reach.
Giraffes also have as many neck bones as humans, though they are just longer. Their size provides them with an enormous advantage in feeding and predatory observation at a distance.
Diet and Feeding Habits
The giraffes that are reticulated are herbivores, and they mainly feed on leaves, flowers, and seed pods of the acacia trees and other thorny shrubs. Their prehensile tongues are 18 inches long, and their tough lips are ideally suited to pluck the leaves without being stung by thorns. They are also able to consume as much as 34 kilograms (75 pounds) of leaves per day, and most of their time is spent eating.
Due to the moisture content of their food, giraffes can travel long distances without the need to drink water, and much of their water intake comes through the food they eat. Then, when they drink, they part their legs far open and hunch themselves down, a position which puts them in a nervous frame of mind at waterholes.
Social Behaviour and Group Life.
Reticulated giraffes are the most social, loosely organised animals in general. They exist as fluid groups that are referred to as towers and tend to consist of 10-20 people, but these may vary. The groups can be female groups with calves, single-sex males, or mixed herds.
Social pecking order does not exist, and giraffes arrive and leave at will. During male fights, they will typically have necking fights where they swing their necks and deliver heavy hits with their heads to prove their level of dominance or claim mating rights. Although these exhibitions may appear severe, severe injuries are few.
Calving and Reproduction
The birth of female giraffes is standing, and so the calf falls amazingly on the ground by 2 metres (6 feet). Surprisingly, it is this fall that will make the newborn take the first breath. A calf can stand and walk not more than one hour after being born in the savannah, which is a critical survival behaviour in the predator-infested savannah.
The gestation period takes an average of 15 months, and women tend to give birth to a single calf. Mothers are extremely protective and keep their young near them and often make nursery groups, where one or two adults have several calves under their eyes.
Habitat and Range
Another fact about reticulated giraffes is that these giraffes live in dry savannahs, open woodlands and semi-arid scrublands. They are usually found in Samburu National Reserve, Buffalo Springs, Meru National Park, and Laikipia Plateau, which are found in Kenya. Their habitat also gives them a combination of open areas and high trees, which provides them with food as well as visibility to detect predators.
Their habitat has been destroyed, and the human population has been growing; as such, this is why conservation is an essential factor in their survival.
Conservation Status
The reticulated giraffe is threatened with endangered status on the IUCN Red List, and there are an estimated 15000 in the wild. In the last few decades, their population has reduced by almost half, mainly because of poaching, fragmentation of habitats and human-wildlife conflict.
Luckily, organisations such as the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) and local community conservancies in northern Kenya are trying their best to observe and preserve the population of giraffes. These have been in the form of tagging of people using GPS fences, awareness creation and ecotourism that is beneficial to the local communities.
Adaptations for Survival
There are a number of interesting adaptations of reticulated giraffes. Their big hearts, up to 11 kilograms (25 pounds), can pump blood as far as their heads, which causes them to have high blood pressure so that they do not faint whenever they raise or lower their heads. Their blood vessels also have special valves that control any change in pressure.
They have great eyesight, and, hence, they can see predators far away, and they are tall, which provides them with strategic benefits. Giraffes can run as fast as 55 km/h (34 mph), although their size makes them slow at long distances, to get out of a place of danger.
Importance in the Ecosystem
Giraffes are significant ecological animals because they are browsers. They feed on the upper foliage of trees; therefore, pruning vegetation, promoting new ones, and leaving open space favours other herbivores. Their excrement also serves to spread seeds, which later leads to the revival and restoration of the savannah ecosystems.
In addition, giraffes are a draw for ecotourism, which earns an income that is used to sustain wildlife conservation and the livelihoods of the locals.
Conclusion
The facts about the reticulated giraffe are that it is a living work of art of evolution, tall, graceful and significant to the ecosystem. However, it is under many threats that must be conserved promptly. Knowledge of this amazing species would contribute to its appreciation and awareness, such that in future generations, people will still be amazed by its beauty.
