Graceful Giants GIRAFFES Documentary Film in 4 K UHD Incredible Wildlife of Africa

for Africa is continent known for its unique nature iconic wildlife and diverse geography it is the second largest continent and covers more than 30 million square kilom the geography of Africa is striking in its diversity here you can find high mountain peaks dense tropical forests large savanas deserts river valleys and lakes in addition Africa is famous for its well-known natural attractions such as Victoria Falls serengetti the Sahara Desert and kilara the inhabitants of the continent are of great interest to both researchers and tourists many animal species such as elephants giraffes lions leopards zebras cheetahs antelopes and others consider this land their home in some regions of Africa you can observe large ations of animals one of the most impressive natural phenomena on the planet particular attention should be paid to one special animal the appearance of which is recognizable even from far away this is girafa calapa darus the giraffe belongs to the family of romance and is the only modern representative of this family Okapi are close species to giraffes they also belong to the family of Rants and live in the tropical forests of Central Asia current classification recognizes one living species of giraffe with nine subspecies but recent DNA analysis suggests there may be as many as six giraff species in the genus giraffa African giraffes live in various ecosystems of the continent including savanas forested and open regions Crossing zones as well as the southern Sahara they also inhabit many countries in Africa including batswana South Africa Kenya Tanzania Zambia Namibia Zimbabwe mosambi and others giraffes prefer to live in Open Spaces with lots of vegetation such as savanas and steps where they can Feast on the leaves of trees and bushes they can also live in thicker areas with dense veget ation such as forested areas in general giraffes are terrain adaptive animals their dietary preferences depending on where they live for example in some parts of Africa giraffes can eat waddle and in other places they'll choose shrubs and other types of plants the habitat of giraffes can be diverse and they can adapt to wide range of conditions making them one of the most widespread large mammals in Africa giraffes are large animals that are born after pregnancy lasting about months usually giraffes are born one at time and this procedure can take up to several hours before giving birth the female giraffe separates from the herd and is alone for several hours when when birth Begins the female giraffe remains standing and begins to squeeze out the calf this process can take from several minutes to several hours thus giraffes are born after long pregnancy and the birth occurs independently without the help of other animals the newborn giraffe has height of about 1.8 and weighs about 50 to 60 kg it's able to stand and run several hours after her birth in the first days of life it receives food from its mother who secretes special milk rich in nutrients and antibodies in the first months of Life the young giraffe remains under the supervision of the mother and receives all the necessary training and protection from predators when the giraffe reaches sexual maturity at the age of about 4 four or 5 years it's ready to reproduce and continue its species thus giraffes are born after long pregnancy and the birth occurs without the help of other animals the newborn giraffe can move independently but it is dependent on the mother needing nutrition and protection during those first months of its life giraffes do not form permanent couples and their courtship usually lasts no more than few days during The Mating Season male giraffes demonstrate their strength and fight with each other for the right to mate once female chooses partner they spend some time together but that doesn't mean they'll live together for the rest of their lives as soon as the mating is over the giraffes disperse to their own Affairs and the male begins to look for another female there for we can say that giraffes are polyamorous that is they have several Partners at different times giraffes have very developed Instinct for reproduction and they spend lot of time looking for partner in order to attract the attention of other giraffes males show their strength and power in behavior called necking this is kind of mating game that can last few minutes or few hours it is especially interesting that giraffes can use their long necks in mating games they use their necks to fight for the partner the male can strike at other males and thereby demonstrate his strength sometimes they even hug each other by crossing their necks and fighting in this position blow of giraffe can be very strong some estimates say the giraffe can strike with force of up to 2,000 lb per square in which is comparable to the blow that boxer can inflict in the ring this is because the giraffe has very long and Powerful legs that can be used for defense or attack in addition during the mating period males can use their smell to attract partner they moisten their legs and neck to activate the smell on them this method additionally attracts females thus giraffes mating games are an important part of their lives and serve to choose the right partner they use different ways such as demonstrating their strength and using their long neck and smell to attract the attention of others and win the heart of the partner the giraffe is undoubtedly large and strong animal for example the length of its leg can be 1.8 to 2.1 long and the length of the giraffe's neck can be over 2 this cute tail which seems short to us because of of the proportions of the animal is actually far from small its length is about 80 to 100 cm the tail consists of several parts it begins at the base of the spine where the tail vertebrae are located the vertebrae grow together and form conical shape that turns into long flexible tail covered with short hair that helps protect the skin from insects the tail can also be used to off annoying flies that is act as fly swatter in addition the tail helps to communicate with relatives for example during mating the male uses his tail to demonstrate his strength and ability to fight also the youngsters can use their tails for entertainment playfully pulling it with their teeth the weight of giraffes in the wild can range from 800 to 1,400 kg depending on the sex and age of the individual giraffes that are kept in captivity are usually of lower weight because of their restricted diet and the lack of constant struggle for survival which is typical for wild animals giraffes in most cases use their power for self-defense and protection of their young with these long and strong legs they fight off Predators or other animals that may try to attack attack them however despite their strength and power giraffes generally prefer to avoid fighting in Conflict they're peaceful animals and in most cases try to escape from danger instead of attacking other animals although giraffes are the tallest animals on the planet they can still become prey for some predators in nature there are several predators that can attack giraffe especially Young and weak individuals one of the most dangerous predators for giraffes are lions they can attack even adult giraffes using their strength and speed to inflict deadly blow lions are considered to be one of the fastest Predators on Earth they can run at speed of up to 80 kmph for short distances but they cannot maintain such speed for long period most often lions use Ambush hunting tactics where they try to get close to their prey before launching the attack it's not easy for giraffe to escape from such formidable and fast Predator the maximum running speed of the giraffe is 60 km hour so in the struggle for life they have to use various tricks whether it's maneuvering or powerful hoof strikes cheetahs can also attack Young young giraffes that are still immature and don't have the strength that adults have in addition giraffes can also be attacked by other Predators such as crocodiles and hyenas however in general giraffes have powerful front legs they can use to fight off attackers and also use their height to view the environment and quickly Escape in case of danger the head of giraffe is like command post rotating on high Watchtower analyzing the situation on all sides the eyes scan the area detecting the slightest signs of danger their eyes are located on the sides of their head which gives them panoramic view of the surrounding area having wide visual field giraffe can see even the slightest movement at great distance the giraffe's eye has an excellent color sensitivity which allows it to see in halone and bright colors in addition to site the giraffe has fine sense of smell it can detect odors at distance of up to several kilometers thanks to this incredibly old factory system giraffes have relatively large old factory tubes which provides them with high sensitivity to odors giraffes also use their sense of smell to communicate with their relatives for example to determine whether another giraffe is male or female and if it's ready to produce giraffes hearing is also welldeveloped they can hear sounds up to 1.6 kilm away which allows them to react to danger in advance in addition they have special ears that can rotate 360° which allows them to determine the direction of the Sound Source quite easily so giraffes have excellent eyesight hearing and smell which helps them to detect danger in advance as well as Fine Food these features help them survive in their environment but against the most cruel Predator man giraffe is helpless poachers prey on giraffes to profit from the sale of meat and other body parts such as Skin bones and Tails Hunters also kill giraffe for sport or in order to get body parts such as heads or horns for trophies giraffe hunting is against the law in most countries but the illegal trade in giraffes and their body parts is still flourishing demand creates Supply poachers can also use traps to catch live giraffes for sale to zoos or private collections hunting giraffes is serious threat to the survival of this species which is already threatened with Extinction due to the loss of habitats and other factors the skin of giraffe is in high demand in some places giraffes have short dense and thick hair which has light brown or yellow brown color on the neck back and sides of the giraffe there are large dark spots which are unique on each animal and help to distinguish them from each other in the area between the spots the hair is lighter Almost White the giraffe's coat protects it from the cold and sunlight it also serves as an excellent camouflage in Savannah where these animals live skins with such an attractive pattern are sold to Rich connoisseurs of exoticism for using as decor and Interiors as as well as in the consumer goods industry and fashion industry giraffe Skins are used for the production of belts shoes bags as well as for decorative purposes In some cultures giraffe Skins are considered status symbol which leads to their high demand on the black market products made from natural Skins are very expensive and there will always be an unethical Rich buyer who is willing willing to brag about costly purchase poaching of giraffe for their skins is one of the main threats to the survival of this species this is an illegal practice and many countries are taking measures to deal with this phenomenon for example in the United States the trade in giraffe skins is prohibited and in China restrictions on the import of Skins are imposed however smuggling continues and it remains one of the major threats to giraffes in the wild due to the complexity of tracking corruption and other factors there are no accurate statistics on the number of giraffes killed by poachers because hunting them is often carried out illegally and in secret according to the international Union for conservation of nature the number of giraffes in Africa decreased by as much as 40% between 1999 and 2016 this decrease is associated primarily with poaching destruction of the giraffe habitat climate change and other factors there are several organizations concerned with the protection of giraffes in their habitat here are some of them the African Wildlife Foundation is nonprofit organization that works in 12 African countries the terany elephant project protects wildlife in Tanzania including giraffes the wildlife conservation fund Works around the world to conserve wildlife and their habitat it also deals with the conservation of African giraffes the international Union for conservation of nature is global organization dedicated to accessing the conservation status of species and developing strategies for their protection in 2016 the iucn identified the giraffe as vulnerable species which led to more active protection of the latter the World Wildlife Fund is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of Nature and Wildlife around the world it works to protect giraffes and their habitat including working with local governments and communities giraffes and local farmers in Africa are often in conflict over grassland giraffes can destroy Farmers crops and fences causing them considerable damage as result of this farmers may try to scare off giraffes or even kill them to protect their land however the aforementioned organizations are trying to reconcile the interests of local residents and giraffes they work with Farmers to help them protect their crops and fences using safer methods such as electric fences they also conduct training to enable Farmers to learn to coexist with animals more peacefully work is also underway with local government bodies to create reserves and protected areas for giraffes this helps to ensure the safety of animals and reduce conflicts between between humans and giraffes the chipping of giraffes is one of the methods of marking and identifying the animals microchip is small micro electronic device about the size of grain of sand containing unique number the chip is inserted under the skin of an animal allowing scientists to determine its identity and origin as well as track its movement the chipping of giraffes is carried out for the purpose of scientific and research work as well as to monitor the population and the migration of these animals thanks to chipping scientists can track the roots of giraffes study their behavior in biology as well as monitor their level of abundance chipping is safer and less invasive method for animals than for example wearing external tracking or ident identification devices it gives scientists the opportunity to collect data about giraffes while limiting the harm to the health of the animals threats to the species can also include parasites and diseases like many other animals giraffes can become hosts for various parasites one of the most common parasites and giraffes are ticks which can lead to various diseases such as Lyme disease and Crimean Congo fever apart from this giraffes suffer from lice and mosquitoes which can spread various infections giraffes can also have worms and other parasites that threaten their health in nature everything is arranged harmoniously and permeated with the high intelligence of the creator if some creatures annoy the giraffe then others can help while still benefiting themselves various birds can live on the body of giraffe and feed on the insects that bother these long necked animals these birds not only feed on the body of the animal but also rest on them for example it can be birds from the family of oxpeckers which inhabit the Savannah and forested areas of Africa they enjoy warm spot on the giraffe and use its body to rest in Fine Food in addition on the body of the giraffe can be found such birds as cattle egrets that feed on insects and are undisturbed by the movement of the giraffe through the grass giraffes like other animals can suffer from various diseases one of the most common is the disease of floating kidney which can cause impaired kidne function and damage to other organs also giraffes can suffer from infectious diseases such as pneumonia tuberculosis botulism and others in addition giraffes can be prone to injuries especially due to collisions with cars or other vehicles such cases are quite rare but when they occur they can lead to serious damage to both the car and the animal giraffes can cross roads in search of food and water especially during periods of drought when natural sources of food and water become scarce at night the giraffe can be blinded by the headlights of cars which can lead to an accident crashes with giraffes can be dangerous for people inside the car the animal is very large and can cause serious damage to the roof glass and other parts of the car in addition giraffes can lose balance slip on the pavement and fall on the roadway which can lead to dangerous situation in some areas to prevent collision with giraffes special signs have been erected warning drivers about the possible appearance of animals on the road it's very important to adhere to the speed limit and carefully drive along these roads that pass through the giraffe's habitat as we can see wild animal can always pose threat to humans although usually not as serious as the threats that humans pose to the animal giraffes are generally nonaggressive towards humans and rarely attack them however like other animals giraffes can become dangerous if they feel threatened or they sense an encroachment on their territory in the past there have been cases of giraffe attacks on humans including fatalities for example in 2016 in Zimbabwe giraffe killed its owner when he tried to film The Animal in 2015 giraffe attacked group of tourists in South Africa injuring three of them there have also been cases of attacks on employees of zoos and other institutions where giraffes are kept but all these cases are the result of human human interference in natural order because zoos with tourists in close proximity to wild animals is nothing but violation of the moral and ethical rights of every living creature on our planet which has the same Right to Life as person to avoid conflicts with giraffes and other wild animals it's necessary to follow the rules of behavior in their natural habitat and not disturb them by approaching too close giraffes as rule do not have rabies since rabies is an infectious disease caused by the rabies virus this disease most often affects mammals such as dogs foxes but not giraffes although humans are often danger to the giraffe there are cases of person rescuing giraffe one such event happened in Namibia in 2018 young giraffe was entangled in The Wire of fence at farm and could not free itself when the farm worker noticed the Lost giraffe they tried to help it but were unsuccessful then they contacted the organization for the protection of animals and asked for help soon Rescuers arrived at the scene and began to release the animal but that was not easy because the giraffe was very frightened and continued to resist resulting in painful wounds from The Wire however with the help of special equipment and experience in handling animals the people were able to free the giraffe from The Wire the animal was wounded and exhausted but thanks to timely Rescue It was able to recover and return to its natural habitat this case demonstrates the importance of Animal Welfare organizations and that everyone can do something to save animals in distress it's important to look for solutions to to such problems and create safer barriers giraffes are herbivores that prefer leaves flowers and tree shoes they enjoy different types of acaas that grow in the expanses of Africa giraffes can reach height of 6 so they need tall trees to feed one of the features of giraffes is their long tongue which can reach 45 cm in length thanks to this they can tear the leaves off branches with quick dextrous movements in addition their tongue is very flexible and can move in different directions which helps them avoid thorns on trees such as acaas giraffes also love to eat flowers and fruits but those are not major part of their diet they spend most of their time eating the leaves of trees and drinking water from rivers and water water holes although the giraffe has the longest neck of all animals it's not long enough to reach the water when the giraffe is standing at the watering hole they bend their long neck down and use their long tongue to reach the water at the same time they have to spread their front Hooves wide apart in an awkward way giraffes can drink large amounts of water at one time up to 15 gallons per one drop drinking session but they can survive fairly long time without water since they also get water from the vegetation they eat giraffes eat variety of plants that can be poisonous to other animals here are just few Acacia this is the one main source of food for giraffes some types of Acacia contain toxic substances such as tannins which can be dangerous to other animals red balm this is plant growing in Africa that contains toxic substances that can cause severe abdominal pain and even death of other animals however giraffes can safely consume this plant due to their high level of protection against toxins mangrove trees this is plant that grows on the seashore and contains toxic substances such as manganese salts giraffe saliva has several features that allow giraffes to absorb nutrients from the plant Foods they eat some of the features are large amount of mucus that helps the giraffe to swallow larger pieces of plant food more easily high level of proteins that help giraffes absorb nutrients from plant Foods great number of bacteria that help them to digest plant Foods adaptation to hard food giraffes have special ad adaptations in their mouths that allow them to chew hard plant foods such as branches and leaves more easily in general giraffe saliva plays an important part in the digestive process of the animal helping it to absorb nutrients from hard plant Foods giraffe's digestion has several features that allows them to absorb nutrients from plant Foods that are difficult to digest some of the features are long esophagus food moves along the esophagus due to muscle contractions four stomachs giraffes have four stomachs that help them digest tough plant Foods the first stomach is the pre- stomach where food begins to cleave the food is then moved to the other three stomachs where further digestion takes place like cows giraffes chew the cud they're able to bring food up from their stomachs into their mouth to chew it further before swallowing it again large number of microorganisms in the stomachs of giraffes there are lot of microorganisms that help them to digest plant Foods these microorganisms produce enzymes that cleave plant fiber and help release nutrients from the plants lack of of front teeth giraffes do not have front teeth in their upper jaw which helps them avoid damaging their mouths while feeding on rough plants due to these digestive features giraffes can survive on food that is not available to many other animals giraffes feces also deserve special attention they can reach 30 cm long and weigh about 9 kg the feces are in the shape of round or oval lumps and usually dumped on the ground These Lumps are an important source of food and water for various animals such as elephants and antalope which feed on giraffe feces especially during periods of drought when food and water sources become scarce in addition giraffe species contain many bacteria and micro microorganisms that can be beneficial to the health of other animals giraffes tend to live in herds and maintain friendly relations with other animals in their territory some of these species coexist with giraffe because they share the same ecosystem and feed on similar plants among the animals friendly to giraffes we can note the following analou giraff often coexist with antalope on the African plains where they share the same pastures zebras giraffes and zebras also live together in Open Spaces especially in savanas the elephant giraffes and elephants often live in close proximity and share water Springs in feeding grounds buffalo in some regions giraffes can graze on the same land as Buffalo gazel many species of gazel are in close proximity to giraffes and share pastures with them however it is worth noting that the Friendship of animals in nature depends on certain conditions and the individual behavior of each animal giraffes are mammals that are known for their long neck and large size they have brain that is quite large in size compared to other species but their intellectual abilities have not yet been extensively studied it's known that giraffes have good memory they can remember the places where they find food and return there again and again they also learn new patterns of behavior which proves their ability to learn and adapt giraffes also have rather complex social structure and they have various forms of communication including sound signals and body gestures their behavior may also indicate intellectual abilities such as problemsolving skills like when they use their long necks to reach food at high altitude despite the fact their intellectual abilities are still poorly understood giraffes probably have certain level of intelligence that helps them to survive and adapt to their environment the brain of giraffe weighs approximately 5 to 600 which is about .1% of the total body weight of giraffe giraffes have one of the largest brains among animals but compared to their size the brain is relatively small however the size of the brain is not always related to the intellectual abilities of the animal because the effectiveness of brain activity can depend not only on the size of the brain but also in its structure complexity and ability to process information interestingly the heart of giraffe is the largest heart among all land animals even bigger than the heart of an elephant according to studies the heart of an adult giraffe can weigh from 11 to 12 kg and its length about 60 cm such dimensions of the giraffe's heart are necessary in order to ensure effective blood circulation in those long Limbs and at the High Altitude to which the giraffe rises in addition such large volume of blood helps to maintain constant blood pressure and ensure the survival of the giraffe in African deserts where there is small amount of water and the animal could live for some time without it regulating the volume of blood in the body comparing the intelligence of giraffes and elephants can be challenging because they belong to different species and have unique characteristics and abilities elephants are known for their High intellectual abilities they have excellent Memories the ability to solve problems as well as the ability to use tools they also have complex social structure and can communicate with each other through wide range of sounds and gestures giraffes on the other hand are less studied in terms of their intellectual abilities but they also have good memory and can learn new behavioral patterns they also have complex social structure and are able to communicate with each other using sounds and gestures thus we can say that elephants and giraffes both have certain level of intelligence that helps them adapt to their habitat and survive in it however it will be difficult to say exactly which of them is smarter without additional research like all highly developed animals giraffes communicate with each other through wide range of sounds and gestures Giraffes have vocal cords but they are very long so they can't make sounds as loud as other animals the main means of communication for giraffes are gestures and sound signals such as grunting snorting and humming giraffes can make sounds using an airbag and nostrils located on the tip of the larynx during the production of sounds air passes through the bag and exits through the nostrils this can be compared to the way musicians play wind instruments such as saxophone or trumpet they can also make sounds with their lips and tongue most most often giraffes produce sounds when they communicate with each other or when they show aggression for example male giraffes can make loud noises to attract the attention of females during mating they make sounds that can be heard at distance of up to 1.5 km these sounds can have different intonation and tone and they can be heard both at long distance and at close range giraffes also communicate with each other other through gestures such as shaking their heads nodding wagging their tails dancing and during battle they use these gestures to convey information about their emotions intentions and status in the herd in addition giraffes have odor glands in the neck and head which can be used to communicate and transmit information to each other body movements and postures are also important for example they change their height by lowering or raising their head to show off their threatening position or friendly mood generally giraffes have variety of ways to communicate with each other which allows them to transmit information and maintain communication in the herd the horns on the head of giraffe is one of its characteristic features in fact these are not horns but kenized wood bundles called osons giraffes have two processes located on the top of the skull and they can be up to 15 cm long osons and giraffes serve not only as decoration but also as protective function they help giraffes protect their heads during fights with other giraffes when they're battling for female or territory and can be used for self-defense against predators the life expectancy of giraffes ranges from 20 to 25 years in the wild but in captivity they can live longer there are reports of giraffes that have lived up to 40 years in captivity in the wild the survival of giraffes depends on many factors including the availability of food and water the presence of predators diseases and injuries however giraffes have high adaptive capacity and can survive in the dry and hot climates of Africa where many other animals cannot survive basically giraffes are considered long livers and their long life is one of the factors that makes them such amazing creatures the unique structure of the body of giraffe results in unique method of locomotion giraffe walking is different than most other animals because their front and hind legs do not move at the same time instead the giraffes move two legs on one side of the body and then two legs on the other creating the so-called running with overstepping this unique way of movement is caused by their long legs and neck which makes movement in the standard mode difficult and uncomfortable at the usual Pace the walking speed of giraffe is about 10 km hour running giraffe is characterized by long and Powerful steps and in doing so they use the front and hind legs at the same time when running giraffes can maintain high speed over long distances which helps them escape from predators and cross large areas in search of food and water giraffes cannot jump in the usual meaning for us because their Anatomy does not allow them to come off the ground nevertheless they can make small jumps on the spot for example during mating games as for swimming giraffes are deprived of this ability their long legs and neck do not allow them to move effectively in the water but they can cross small rivers and ponds where the water isn't too deep by walking along the bottom giraffes thanks to their unique appearance and behavior often appear in folk Legends myths and artworks in the cultures of different nations they're associated with different symbols and Concepts in in African culture giraffes are often associated with wisdom and generosity as well as with greatness and freedom in some regions giraffes are seen as symbol of longevity and well-being in Western culture giraffes are often associated with exoticism and Adventure they appear in books and films such as Ernest Hemingway's novel The Green Hills of Africa and in the animated film jungle in music giraffes do not remain ignored for example the band Toto released their song Africa which mentions mad giraffes in art giraffes have been depicted in variety of contexts and styles they appear in paintings sculptures and graphic works as symbol of the animal world and nature also In some cultures giraffes are used to create various objects such as jewelry and talismans which may be associated with certain spiritual beliefs in short giraffes are unique and interesting animals that Inspire people's creativity and Imagination in addition to everything we've covered so far we can now add the top 10 most interesting facts about these unique creatures African giraffes are the tallest animals on the planet their height can be more than 5 giraffes have very long vocal cords so they cannot make loud sounds like other animals giraffes can survive without water for up to 2 weeks getting moisture from Plants giraffes have very long tongue up to 45 cm long which helps them Reach the leaves on the top of trees rafts have the largest heart of any land animal this is due to the fact that they need to pump blood over lot of territory giraffes have very long legs and can run at speeds of up to 56 kmph giraffes sleep very little on average their sleep lasts less than 2 hours day giraffes have individual spots on the skin and each animal has its own unique pattern giraffes are social social animals and communicate with each other using sound signals and gestures and African giraffes are endangered due to the loss of their natural habitats and poaching they are listed in the red book in the vulnerable category all