Masai giraffe

The Masai Giraffe

1- Introduction

The Giraffa tippelskirchi, or better known as the Masai Giraffe, is the largest subspecies of giraffe. The Giraffe is also called Kilimanjaro giraffe. 

Male Giraffes are named bulls, while female giraffes are named does. Baby Giraffes are called a calf. There are several names for a group of giraffes such as herd, tower, and corps.

2- Anatomy/Appearance

Giraffes have a unique anatomy and shape that make them very distinct to the other animals on earth. The main appearance of the giraffe that stands out is their long neck, which is estimated to be 6 feet. The typical Masai male giraffe weighs an average of 2,600 pounds and reaches to become 19.5 feet, while the female Masai giraffe weighs 1,800 and are between 16 and 18 feet in height. Giraffes do not have horns or antlers, but rather, have ossicones similar to horns on their heads. They function to differentiate genders, to regulate body thermoregulation and can be used for fighting. The spots are jagged and irregular compared to other species, and males tend to have darker spots. 
Giraffes have 4 legs, and their feet is around 12 inches long

3. Locomotion

A giraffe is capable of moving and walking because it has four legs. The giraffe is slow-moving because it has long legs which cause them to move like in "slow motion". 

4. Diet

The Masai Giraffe is a herbivore, and its diet consists of plants (such as tree branches and leaves), berries and some fruits in the wild. Their choice of diet stems from eating foods high where it can reach with their its neck, or other foods it can easily reach near the ground. In the food web, the giraffe is the primary consumer eating and consuming energy from plants, and gets devoured by the Lion, that is the secondary consumer.

5. Habitat/ Range

The Masai Giraffe primarily lives in savannas across the African continent, but more specifically in Eastern Africa. They are spread across the savannas and African grasslands across Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Rwanda. Yet, due to deforestation and loss of habitat, they now have limited area and land to roam than before.

6. Adaptations

The most obvious adaptation of the giraffe is their long necks. It allows for them to reach for foods that are too high for most animals to reach. Giraffes also have very tough lips in order to avoid eating thorns and other spikes or defenses while eating their main food sources of plants and branches. 
Surprisingly, another adaptation of the Giraffe species is to gulp large quantities of water at a time, thus reducing the time they spend drinking water and exposed to predators. As a result, the can go an extended amount of time without water from morning dew on leaves and plants.

7- Life Cycle/Reproduction

The Masai Giraffe is available to breed around the age of four. In fact, females reach sexual maturity between three and four years of age, and for males, between four and five years. There is no specific season for reproduction, but young bulls are expected to gain the respect of the herd through fighting, such as "necking". 

The gestation period for Masai Giraffes last 14 months, and the baby calf is born to be 6-feet tall. The calf comes out head first and fall to the ground, and last around half an hour before learning the ability to walk. The calf will live on with it's mother for its first few months of life. Unfortunately, the mortality rate for young calves is up to 75% during their first few months, so few survive to join the herd. Masai Giraffes have an expected lifespan of 25 years in the wild, and over 30 year sunder professional human care. 

8. Behavior

Masai Giraffes move around and stay within a herd at all times. Male Giraffes tolerate each other and rarely interact, with the exception of "necking" when asserting dominance in the herd or for mating rights. Giraffe herds can claim a territory as large as 50 miles. and will move around that area. Herds are no territorial with their land with other herds, and can 

9. Defense/ Offense

The giraffes’ tall neck and excellent vision enable it to spot predators, such

as lions, from far away. If a predator comes closer, the giraffe flees at speeds up to 30 miles per hour. If a predator gets too close, the giraffe will defend itself with a hefty kick. It is their defense by attacking other animals.

10. Enemies

The main threats to the Masai giraffe are natural predators such as lions, leopards, African wild dogs, and hyenas.

11.Species survival status

All giraffes are considered vulnerable to extinction by the IUCN, and the Masai giraffe population declined 52% in recent decades. This is the most populous of the subspecies, now numbering an estimated 32,500 in the wild. However, recent reports of poaching would suggest that their population is decreasing. Originally, the Masai giraffe lived throughout Africa, however, due to loss of habitat and deforestation, they are only found in the savannas of Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia and Tanzania.

12. Something special

The Masai Giraffes' tongues can be up to 20 inches long and are darkly colored, which is believed to help protect them during frequent sun-exposure.

13. Classification

The Masai giraffe are classified as follows: Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Chordata, Class Mammalia, Order Artiodactyla, Suborder Ruminantia, Family Giraffidae, Genus Giraffe, and species G. camelopardalis tippelskirchi. The Okapi bears are the most closely related to the Masai giraffe. The Okapi and the giraffe are the only living members of the Family Giraffidae.

14. References

https://animalcorner.co.uk/animals/masai-giraffe/
https://sciencing.com/giraffe-adaptation-6326336.html
https://www.giraffeworlds.com/masai-giraffe/
http://eol.org/pages/4446008/overview
https://www.racinezoo.org/masai-giraffe-fact-sheet