Has anyone heard of Giraffe Manor in South Africa? Has anyone actually been there? It would be a fabulous experience to stay and see these beautiful animals as close as their guests do. What a phenomenal experience that would be. You can see what I am talking about at this link.
The Giraffe is one of the most interesting animals. I am sharing favorite photos taken of the ones we found at The Honolulu Zoo on our trip to Hawaii in December of 2009.
Interesting facts about the Giraffe:
A male can grow as high as 18 feet (5.5 meters), females up to 14 feet (4.3 meters).
A male can grow as high as 18 feet (5.5 meters), females up to 14 feet (4.3 meters).
Males can weigh up to 3,000 pounds (1,360 kilograms), females up to 1,500 pounds (680 kilograms).
Their lifespan is between 15 to 20 years.
Those bumps on its head are called ossicones, and both the male and the female have them.
Size at birth is 6 feet tall (1.8 meters), 100 to 150 pounds (45 to 68 kilograms). Gestation period is 14 months. Age of maturity is 3 to 5 years.
A giraffe's foot is the size of a dinner plate - 12 inches across (30.5 centimeters).
They have the same number of vertebrae in their necks as we do, seven. Each one is just much bigger than ours and can be over 10 inches long (25.4 centimeters).
A giraffe's tongue is 18 to 20 inches long (46 to 50 centimeters), and is blue-black. Some people think the color is to keep it from getting sunburned.
Giraffes can moo, hiss, roar and whistle.
The record running speed of a giraffe is 34.7 miles per hour (56 kilometers per hour).
Its range is in pockets of Africa, south of the Sahara Desert and its habitat is the savanna.
They have a spotted coat similar to a leopard, and for a long time people called the giraffe a
'camel-leopard', because they believed it was a combination of a camel and a leopard. That's where the giraffe's species name came from, "camelopardalis".
I found all these interesting facts, and more, here.
Also here.
I have never heard of this place, but it looks amazing! The vertebrae fact really surprised me! Your pictures are really good, kind of depicting them as gently giants.
ReplyDeleteThank you Ginny, happy you enjoyed :)
DeleteThey are truly beautiful animals. Our National Zoo and Acquarium offers packages where you can stay very close to them - or to some of the big cats.
ReplyDeleteHi EC, that sounds wonderful! Thank you for sharing that.
DeleteHello, Denise
ReplyDeleteI have seen videos of giraffes walking through a hotel lobby in Africa. What a sight to see. I just love these cute animals. Great photos. Take care, enjoy your day!
It would be incredible wouldn't it Eileen? Thank you and I wish you the same :)
DeleteI have seen many giraffes wild in South Africa but I have never heard of Giraffe Manor!! They are very docile and beautiful animals. I cannot understand why anyone gets pleasure out of hunting and killing them. Or any other animal for that matter. They have as much right in this world, or more, than we do. Have a good day Diane
ReplyDeleteThank you Diane and how wonderful that you got to see them in their natural habitat. Not having grown up in a hunting family I just could not do that.
DeleteI am flabbergasted at the size of the feet and at the size of everything they have from vertebra to how tall they grow to how big a baby is. Imagine giving birth to a 6-foot baby yowza! Beautiful photos and I did not know any of this information
ReplyDeleteHi Sandra, isn't it amazing what we learn? They really are extraordinary animals, but then so many out there are. Thank you and I'm glad you enjoyed the post :)
DeleteAmazing creatures and interesting.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the lovely photos of them along with the stats.
Take care.
You are very welcome Margaret and thank you too :) You also take care.
DeleteWow! That's one big baby!!!!
ReplyDeleteBut, Mama is large herself, so it's all in the ratio. Or something. -smile-
Rain here today,
💧 ☂ 💧
It certainly is and thank you BBB :) Stay dry or maybe it has passed through now? We had flash flood warnings last night and it rained hard.
DeleteVery interesting!
ReplyDeleteThank you Christine, happy you thought so :)
DeleteThanks for the photos. I love giraffes. I didn't know they are pregnant for 14 months. Wow!
ReplyDeleteThank you Gigi, amazing facts aren't they?
DeleteI didn't know any of these facts except for one...the color of their tongue. Glad I'm not a giraffe...I had hard enough time birthing a near 7 Pound Baby!!
ReplyDeleteYou're one up on me, I didn't know that about their tongue. Your comment gave me a chuckle, thanks Anni :)
Deletegreat photos
ReplyDeleteThank you Gosia :)
DeleteOh these are fun Denise. Honolulu now has two new adolescent giraffes!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you enjoyed them Cloudia and how wonderful about the new giraffes :) Thank you for that information. Hopefully I will be able to get back one day.
DeleteA manor for giraffes sounds nice. Great photos.
ReplyDeleteYes Ellen, I would like to visit but those prices are way past my price range :) I looked just to be sure last night, LOL! Thank you :)
DeleteFascinating information ... I feel lucky to have seen them at Oregon’s Wildlife Safari and at a couple of Zoos that I can remember ... that SA Giraffe Manor would be amazing. Where did you find that adorable word picture/ poem? I love it. Is there a name for that kind of art?
ReplyDeleteHi Sallie, the wildlife park sounds interesting. I found that word picture online many years ago but I'm afraid I can't remember where from now. I did an online search and found lots of other word art pictures. I'll make a post of them sometime. They were fun to look at too :)
DeleteHow graceful the giraffe looks in your photos, Denise! Love the origin of its name. Thanks for sharing your lovely photos. I'd love to see one in the wild.
ReplyDeleteHi Martha Ellen, thank you! So glad you enjoyed the post and wouldn't it be wonderful to see them in the wild? :)
DeleteThank you Agnieszka :)
ReplyDeleteThey are amazing animals.
ReplyDeleteI agree, they certainly are. Thank you William :)
DeleteThey are such beautiful animals, I love their markings and their faces are amazing.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Denise, thank you.
All the best Jan
Thank you Jan, glad you enjoyed them. All the best to you too :)
DeleteGreat giraffe photos and interesting facts. I knew they were tall due to their very long necks, but had no idea they were that tall--or weighed that much.
ReplyDeleteThank you GGG, happy you enjoyed my post. It's fascinating what we find out isn't it?
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