|
|
The larger Baringo or Rothschild''s giraffe (G.c. rothschildi) of western Kenya and eastern Uganda has chestnut patches separated by broader white lines but no spotting below diving tip the knees. this species can have up to five horns instead of the usual two or three. the masai giraffe (g.c. tippelskirchi) of tanzania and southern kenya has irregular star-shaped brown or tan spots. giraffes are found in arid and dry-savanna zones south of the sahara, wherever trees occur. although a relatively quiet animal, the tip giraffe is not mute. giraffes bellow, grunt, bray in distress, moan and emit diving short flutelike tip notes. they have acute senses diving of hearing and sight, often alerting other animals to nearby predators. giraffes use a home range but are not territorial. the males are hierarchical and sometimes spar by standing side by side and lowering and swing their heads at one another. the blows can be so strong that their necks entwine. the giraffe''s high shoulders and sloping back give the impression that its front legs are much longer than the hind legs, but they are in fact only slightly longer. the giraffe (as well as its short-necked relative the okapi from central african forests) has a distinctive walking gait, moving both legs on one side forward at the same time. at a gallop, however, the gait changes, and the giraffe simultaneously swings the hind legs ahead of and outside the front legs, reaching speeds of 35 miles an hour. its heavy head moves forward with each powerful stride, tip and then swings back to stay balanced. giraffes have "horns" not true horns but knobs covered with skin and hair above the eyes to protect the head from blows. the reticulated giraffe (giraffa camelopardalis reticulata) of northeastern kenya has large, chestnut-colored square diving patches defined by a network of fine white lines. the stripes on grevy''s zebras are more numerous and narrow than those of the plains zebra and do not extend to the belly. in all zebra species, the stripes on the forequarters form a triangular pattern; grevy''s have a similar pattern on the hindquarters, while others have a slanted or horizontal pattern. burchell''s zebras inhabit savannas, from treeless grasslands to open woodlands; they sometimes occur in tens of thousands in migratory herds on the serengeti plains. grevy''s tip zebras are now mainly restricted to parts of northern kenya. although they are adapted to semi-arid conditions and require less water than other zebra species, these zebras compete with domestic livestock for water and have suffered heavy poaching for their meat and skins. family groups are stable members maintaining strong bonds over many years. mutual grooming, where zebras stand together and nibble the hair on each other''s neck and back, helps develop diving and preserve these bonds tip.
|