1. Class: Mammalia

2. Order: Artidactyla

3. Family: Giraffidae

4. Genus Species: Giraffa camelopardalis

5. Size: 1.8m/6ft (New borns) - 4.25 to 5.5m/14 to 18ft (Adults)

6. Weight: 1,100 to 1,915kg/4,420 to 4,215lb (adult males)
700 to 1,181kg/1,520 to 2,600lb (Adult females)

7. Description: White to cream background color with light brown to almost black spots within a lattice pattern.

8. Life Span: 20 to 25 years

9. Reproduction: Males mature in 3.5 years but only breed at 8 years old. Females mature at 4 to 5 years old. Giraffes bred throughout the year, especially after a rainy season. After a gestation period of 14 to 15 months, a baby giraffe is born. The mother tends to her young who lies on the ground for 2 weeks. She will only leave her young 100 yards away and further in the presence of a herd of maternal giraffes. Although, the offspring are weaned as yearling and nutritionally independent by 16 months, the maternal bond lasts up to 16 months.

10. Gestation: 450 to 465 days

11. Habitat: Dry African savannah, scrub, open acacia woodlands south of the Sahara, but has been eliminated from most of West African and southern Kalahari range.

12. Diet: New growth foliage of acacia and mimosa brush 2 to 5m/6.6 - 16.5ft high and also 100 plant species with its choice determined by seasonal and local availability. It uses its upper lip and long tongue to strip the leaves, shoots, flowers and vines from trees. It only drinks water every 2 to 3 days and can go without water for weeks. A large amount of water are sourced from leave dew and from water in the leaves. Giraffes have 4 stomachs just like cows.

13. Predators: Due to their size and physical conditions, they do not usually have any predators. However, young giraffes are frequently hunted by lions, hyenas, leopards, and African wild dogs. The mother usually stands over her calf to protect against the lions by kicking them using her powerful legs. However, statistics show that 50 - 75% of calves are killed during the first few months.

14. Endangered: Non-endangered

15. Special features/Specialization: At 18ft, the giraffe is simply the biggest ruminant and the tallest animal in the world. Well now for its spots, they are unique and distinguishable between giraffes, much like fingerprints. Giraffes also posses a long pink and black tongue which can reach 22 inches long. It also has horns which are solid bones covered by skin where there are thin and tufted on top for female giraffes while male ones are thick and bald on top measuring up to 5 inches in length. Giraffes have keen eyesight and have good hearing and sense of smell. Normally silent, giraffes are able to give out noises such as grunts, snorts, growls, sneezes, snores, moos, bleats and coughs. It can only move in 2 ways - walk or gallop using its low legs and short trunk decree an ambling walk with the entire weight supported alternately on left and right legs.

16. Social Organization: Giraffes generally live in a unstructured herd which can consists of all males, all females and a mix. The herds do not have a leader and due to their large size, they do not need to be in a tight group. They are tall enough to see each other and thus can live up to miles apart. Males spar daily contests to determine mating rights, using horns and strong necks. Once ranking has been determined, the usually live peacefully together.

17. Conservation Status: Although, giraffe tail, hairs and skin are sought for commercial purposes, no conservation is yet necessary to protect and preserve the giraffe species.

18. Behaviors: Females generally spend half a day browsing while the nigh is spent lying down ruminating, especially hours after dark and before dawn. Males on the other hand only spend 43% of the day walking.

19. Population Areas: Sahara Desert, West African and southern Kalahari range.