Jumping Giraffes

Giraffes!!!       
Daniel

We were driving for about 1 hour in Akagera Game Park, when Nathan and I saw giraffes in the distance.  We discovered a track that led to the giraffes and followed it.  Through the trees I could see a baby giraffe nursing. (I wonder how giraffe milk would taste?)  The baby giraffe was as tall as me!!! It seemed to be only a few days old, because its umbilical cord was still attached.  There were birds riding on the back of the giraffes.

In 1986, 2 males and 4 female giraffes were imported to the game park from Kenya.  Most of them were killed from poaching during the genocide.  But now over the years the number of giraffes has increased to about 75, and we were lucky to see some.

The scientific name of giraffe is Giraffa Camelepardalis meaning 'fast walking camel leopard.'  The giraffe is related to deer and cattle, but its closest relative is the Okapi.

Baby giraffes

• A baby giraffe can run for to 24 hours after birth!  
• It knows how to jump within 4 days.
• Drinks milk (or suckles) from its mother, till its about 10 months old.
• It weighs about 110 pounds at birth.

 Giraffe Fun Facts

• A giraffe's heart weighs up to 25 pounds!
• A full grown giraffe's neck can weigh as much as 500 pounds!
• A giraffe can go longer without water that a camel!
• Giraffes have black tongues!
• In 1 minute, a giraffe's heart can pump 160 gallons of blood!
• An adult giraffe can kick so hard that it can decapitate (take off) a lions head!
• Giraffes cannot cough!
• Each marking on a giraffe is not the same! 
• A giraffe can clean its ears with its 24 inch tongue!
• Full grown giraffes can run up to 40 mph!