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Giraffe
(Latin = Giraffa camelopardalis, Afrikaans = Kameelperd, German = Giraffe)

Numbers: Very high

Weight > 703 - 1395 kg

1547 - 3069 lb.

Shoulder height> 272 - 347 cm

109 - 139 in.

Pregnancy time : 457 days

Calf quantity : 1 or sometimes, 2

Found along the warmer Bushveld and Lowveld areas, especially the northern and eastern borderlines of the Northern Province and Mpumalanga.

This giant reaches almost 6 meters (almost 20 feet) in hight when fully grown. To challenge this animal in length, one need to go back to the Dinosaurus of old. It is said to make some sound, but few people have heard this, because this animal prefers silence. Drinking water seems to be one of the most difficult endeavours for this fellow: he has to spread his legs wide apart and bend his head way down. This naturally makes him a easy target for a lion. Small wonder, then, that the giraffe is most wary at the waterhole. It is a time-consuming effort. And when it does drink, it will shallow nearly 50 liters of water. The lion loves giraffe meat, both for the meat itself, and also because it means two lazy weeks without the necessity of any hunting! However, some giraffes have succeeded in killing a lion with its awesome hindleg’s kicking power. It can injure an enemy with the forelegs as well, while it also uses it’s head and neck as part of it’s arsenal in fighting with other bulls. It’s running action probably comes the closest to reflect a “slow motion” scene, for with it’s heavy, high body, it shifts it’s two legs of the same side together until it reaches galloping speeds. It can do about 50 km/h in a sprint, and it have a lot of stamina to sustain its run. It’s beautiful eyes is very effective as well. It’s calves can weigh up to 60 kg (132 lb).