"... tell 'em a hookah smoking caterpillar has given you the call ..."
Thursday, September 9, 2010
How's The Weather Up There?
The name "Giraffe" comes from the Arabiczarafa, meaning creature of grace and one that walks safely. Their Afrikaans name iskameelperdwhich, literally translated, means 'camel horse'.
There are about 2500 Giraffe in Namibia, about 1400 of them in the Etosha National Park. The sub-species found here is Giraffa camelopardalis angolensis.
A female chewing on a mouthful of leaves.
Giraffe browse mainly off the top trees but will also occasionally graze on fresh sprouting grasses.
The short 'horns' are bony outgrowths covered by skin, the tops covered with black hair - in females the entire top of the horn is tufted, while in males it is bald with hair around the circumference of the knob.
Giraffe drink water when it is available but, are not dependent on it, as they are able to obtain their moisture from the plants that they eat.
I also did not know the difference in the horns, interesting though I guess not necessary to sex them! I love giraffes, they always look so gentle and when they run they look just so wonderful. Almost like great big rocking horses. Great post. Diane
@ BLOGitse - apparently the Romans called them 'camelopardalis' which gave rise to the belief that they were the offspring of a Camel and a Leopard ...
... Giraffe are generally not easy to approach but some of these were quite close ... I've never heard of one attacking a human ...
interesting that the gender can be spotted by the "hairdo" - the same as most humans.
I was in a Safari park in Florida once and one came over to the car and was looking down through the sun roof. I was scared he/her (didn't know the id thing) was going to trip on our car.
Hehe lisleman, yes they have a way of making a person feel small - it's always interesting to watch how they get down on their front knees to drink ... sadly I don't have any reasonable pics of this.
They are one of my favourite wild animals ... so elegant and graceful, and Tanzania's national symbol, too ! Thanks for sharing these lovely up-close-and-personal photos with us today :)
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What a brilliantly easy way to tell males from females - I'm dying to show it off next time I see a nature programme!
ReplyDeleteCaroline
Hehe Caroline - In honesty, I didn't know about this distinction between sexes until my daughter told me about it recently ...
ReplyDeleteI also did not know the difference in the horns, interesting though I guess not necessary to sex them! I love giraffes, they always look so gentle and when they run they look just so wonderful. Almost like great big rocking horses. Great post. Diane
ReplyDeleteThanks Diane ... lol ... yes, you've described their gait well 'great big rocking horses' ...
ReplyDeleteVery interesting! I love the close ups of these wonderful creatures.
ReplyDelete'camel horse' - they do look like a mixture of them.
ReplyDeleteGiraffes look so cool and cute but I wouldn't go too close...
How far did you take these pics?
Thanks Penny - they are such gentle creatures ...
ReplyDelete@ BLOGitse - apparently the Romans called them 'camelopardalis' which gave rise to the belief that they were the offspring of a Camel and a Leopard ...
ReplyDelete... Giraffe are generally not easy to approach but some of these were quite close ... I've never heard of one attacking a human ...
I always thought they must be very gentle creatures. The closeups are beautiful, their eyes are so soulful.--Inger
ReplyDeleteThanks Inger - I have a few close-up pics and in many of them they seem to be asking Alice's Caterpillar's question "Who Are You?"
ReplyDeleteinteresting that the gender can be spotted by the "hairdo" - the same as most humans.
ReplyDeleteI was in a Safari park in Florida once and one came over to the car and was looking down through the sun roof. I was scared he/her (didn't know the id thing) was going to trip on our car.
Hehe lisleman, yes they have a way of making a person feel small - it's always interesting to watch how they get down on their front knees to drink ... sadly I don't have any reasonable pics of this.
ReplyDeleteThey are one of my favourite wild animals ... so elegant and graceful, and Tanzania's national symbol, too ! Thanks for sharing these lovely up-close-and-personal photos with us today :)
ReplyDeleteHey that's great that they're Tanzania's national animal Lynda - I didn't know that ...
ReplyDelete... thanks, you're right, they are graceful, lovely creatures ...
"...females the entire top of the horn is tufted, while in males it is bald with hair around the circumference of the knob..."
ReplyDeleteWhere else have I noticed that?
Superb images of some magnificant beasts; don't spoil it by saying they are ranched for food/skin?
gg
Hehe gg ... very perceptive about the hair styles ...
ReplyDeleteAs far as I know they're not slaughtered for their skin or meat ... but I wouldn't be surprised by anything the human race does ...
I really never saw 10 at same time...
ReplyDeleteHello Andrea - hope you had a good trip to Botswana ...
ReplyDelete... when I took the pic you're referring to there were a lot more Giraffe, I just couldn't get them all into the image ...