The Giraffe-big And Beautiful Essay, Research Paper
Ever wonder about the different animals around the world? Ever wonder about their behaviors and features? This all has to do with zoology. Zoology is defined as the branch of biology devoted to the animals. Zoology can be viewed as a series of efforts to analyze and classify animals. Zoology basically explains everything having to do with the entire animal population. Zoology in an important field in the science world because it helps to explain all the different studies of animals.
One important and what I feel is the greatest animal studied in zoology is the giraffe also known as Giraffa camelopardalis. The giraffe is the tallest animal averaging seventeen feet. Giraffes usually weigh about 2,500 lbs. Giraffes along with their extremely tall bodies have tongues usually fifteen inches long.
Both sexes have two or four short, blunt, skin-covered horns. The coat has chestnut brown blotches against a brown background, markings that blend with the many different trees. As a giraffe ages, its color grows a darker brown. Each animal has a unique set of markings. Giraffes have keen sense of smell, seeing, and fantastic eyesight. A giraffe?s lifespan is up to twenty-six years in the wild and thirty-six years in captivity. Giraffes live on dry savannas and open woodland. They range south in the Sahara and in large numbers only in East Africa. Giraffes are herbivores, they eat mainly on leaves from acacia, mimosa, and wild apricot trees.
Scientists have discovered many interesting facts about giraffes. One fact is that giraffes may have existed during the Quaternary period. This period is the division of geologic time in the Cenozoic period. Evidence has been found that the Sahara was occupied by giraffes and other land-grazing animals, during the later part of this time period. Scientists have found fossils and many other evidence that as soon as the dinosaurs disappeared, mammals like the giraffe appeared.
Along with these interesting facts, scientists have discovered the giraffe?s different techniques for communication. Chemical communication is a powerful tool, particularly for ensuring reproduction, marking territory, and alerting prey against predators. A male giraffe, for instance, determines the best time to mate by nudging the female until she urinates and then checking the odor to determine if she is fertile. Communication is important among giraffes because it helps them to gather for good, care for their young, and mate. Most commonly, animal communication occurs between animals of the same species. Communication is important so the giraffes can survive. Scientists study communication of animals to determine more things about them.
The males and females have many differences including: size, weight, and color. The males usually weight about 2500 lbs, while the females only weigh about 1,800 lbs. Females average fourteen feet in height, while males are seventeen feet. Males are also darker in skin color. Females breed every twenty to twenty-three months. Gestation lasts for fifteen months. That is much longer than humans! Giraffes have many different names. Males are bulls, females are cows, young are calves, and groups are called herds.
The giraffe?s body structure is built very well which makes it easy for the giraffe to survive in the wild. Since the giraffe?s necks are so long they have vessels from their heart to their neck that pump blood so they can live. Their exceptionally long neck make it easy for the giraffe to reach in high places and gather food. The legs are also six feet long, which makes it easy for the giraffe to stomp on predators trying to harm them. The weight also helps them when they are fighting. Giraffes are built so they can easily move and protect themselves.
There are sundry facts about giraffes many people do not care to think about. Giraffes can run up to thirty-five mph. They can go without water for weeks or months as a time. This is amazing because even humans can?t go one week without water. Giraffes only have seven vertebrae in their neck. Giraffe?s necks are extremely long so it?s a wonder why they only have seven. They spend sixteen to twenty eating a day. All giraffes do during their day is feast upon the many magnificent grasses and berries of the wild. Giraffes also stand up to sleep. It would be very difficult to support that much weight while sleeping. Giraffes have proven to be very interesting to many people of the world.
Scientists that study the different animals can learn a lot. There are so many things to learn about the many different species of animals that roam the earth. Zoology has taught many things to everyone over the millions of years. Scientists have discovered numerous things about these giant beautiful beasts including: cellular organization, communication, and when they were first discovered. Giraffes are not only the prettiest but the most interesting animal on this planet.