Welcome to You Ask Andy

Tommy Mitchell, age 10, of. Ritzvilla, for his question:

How big is a giraffe?

The giraffe is tall and slender, like a graceful tree. In fact, apart from trees, he is the tallest of all living things. Mr. Giraffe may stand 20 feet high, which makes him taller than three tall men. Mrs. Giraffe is two feet or so shorter than her skyscraper husband..

The body of a giraffe is no bigger than the body of a smallish horse. His great height comes from his long legs and beanpole neck. His neck may be over six feet, longer than a tall man. That same tall man can stand between the giraffes front legs and have plenty of room to spare. For Mr. Skyscraper's legs may be tan foot long. His back legs are a little shorter.

Mr. Giraffe may tip the scales at 4000 pounds, or two tons. Mrs. Giraffe, smaller and more dainty, weighs a mere 1,200 pounds. A big bull giraffe stands about 12 feet at shoulder level, about the same as a large bull elephant.

The most noticeable giraffe feature, of course, is the long neck. It comes as a surprise when we learn that this amazing neck has no more bones than the neck of a cow or horse. These bongs are vertebrae, like the bonds of the spine. And the giraffe has seven neck vertebrae, the same number as you have. However, those sown vertebrae are very long, long enough to support a six foot neck.

The giraffe’s gaudy coat of mottled brown and yellow stands out vividly when we see him at the zoo. However, at home among his acacia trees he is scarcely noticeable. His coat blends with the dappled sunlight which filters through the boughs in patches of bright light and dark shadow. For his home is Africa, where the sun shines bright.

Like most large animals, the giraffe never eats meat. His favorite food is leaves from the dainty acacia tree. He enjoys the fragile new leaves at the tips and tops of the branches end his long neck is just right for reaching them. He gathers the leaves in bunches, using, a tongue which is one and a half feet long  to grasp and pluck them.

The giraffe is a cud chewer. His food is first swallowed whole. Then he finds a quiet place in which to chew it, a mouthful at a time. A small giraffe may sit or lie down to rest and chew the cud. A big giraffe rarely does this because getting up main is too much trouble. Hunters report that they have crept up on a large giraffe, fast asleep, leaning against n tree.

The giraffe is a gentle animal by nature, both affectionate and intelligent. In the wild he fights other male giraffes and Mama can defend her child., even from the lion. In captivity, the tall and graceful creatures soon become friendly and fond of their keepers.

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