Giraffes typically eat leaves from acacia trees, mimosa trees, and wild apricot trees. These animals can be found near the Horn of Africa. They use these physical characteristics to help forage for food. 2007; Wilson and Mittermeier 2011), New and growing shoots preferred, when available (Parker and Bernard 2005). While leaves make up the majority of the giraffe diet (more than 90 percent in … They may not be on the top of the food chain, but these hooved skyscrapers stand alone in their ability to eat taller African trees such as their favorite, the Acacia. This is critical in escaping predators. They do, however, eat some grass. This tongue is not only dexterous but thickly lined to ward off the potential pricks of Acacia thorns. Giraffes subsist on a variable vegetarian diet that includes leaves, stems, flowers, and fruits. The survival of the young is dependent on how quickly they can walk. As the tallest animals in the world, they reach an impressive height of six meters. As you can imagine, this makes the daily habit of eating rather tricky. Giraffes are the tallest of all land animals; males (bulls) may exceed 5.5 metres (18 feet) in height, and the tallest females (cows) are about 4.5 metres. They almost entirely thrive off of the leaves, twigs, flowers, and bark of Acacia trees. There are a large variety of shrubs and trees, including the Biombo trees that can reach 20 meters in height. You may have noticed a commonality between both of these African species. In some arid habitats, may get all their water from plants (David O'Connor, personal communication). (2017). “Well as giraffes say, you don’t get no leaves unless you stick your neck out.” – Sid Waddell. They usually feed on the acacia leaves. (Wilson and Mittermeier 2011); Eat seeds, pods, acacia bark, flowers when available (Brenneman et al. This texture also serves as sun protection when licking treetops (but more on that later). If you’re a giraffe, you might want to live in a place that is blanketed with trees. Giraffes are more than able to consume a number of plants that have thorns, but what about cacti? They are also given acacia branches as a more natural type of food (What do giraffes eat in the wild? Being herbivores, the giraffe browses among mostly trees and shrubs to eat a variety of leaves, fruits, flowers, shoots, bark, and sometimes even grass. They are also referred to as browsers, choosing to eat from food that is higher up such as tall trees. Editorial Team at Africa Freak is a group of expert Africa writers and influencers. The savanna can be described as an area with grassy plains and a few scattered trees. This is to mimic the tall trees found in the wild. © 2020 Africa Freak | All Rights Reserved, Safest countries in Africa for an epic adventure, Kruger National Park: the complete safari guide. So the next time you visit the zoo, imagine what it would be like to see them out in the wild on the savanna. See below >>). The pigment acts as natural sunscreen, which is especially useful when the slimy muscle is overly exposed to the elements. This species is the Okapi, an endangered tropical inhabitant that lives in central Africa. They consume large quantities of leaves, twigs, sprouts, flowers, fruits and bark. However, their eating habits are not as clear cut.eval(ez_write_tag([[580,400],'africafreak_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_8',145,'0','0'])); Here are some fascinating facts about giraffe eating habits.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'africafreak_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_9',146,'0','0'])); Before diving into what a giraffe eats, it’s helpful to understand its biological structure. Giraffes have a long prehensile tongue, and both the tongue and lips are virtually unaffected by thorny branches that most herbivores would not be able to utilize as food. One unusual adaptation that giraffes possess is their saliva. There are a couple of theories as to why these long-necked animals have spots in the first place. They can also be seen occasionally consuming fruits and grasses. And they also show individual food preferences. Giraffe fight over electrified fence in Kruger Park | Unusual African animal fights. When dry seasons hit, giraffes will migrate large distances in search for food. They even eat some fruit. Educating the public on what these animals would eat in the wild is paramount. While eating is fairly easy for giraffes, drinking poses a different problem. The Masai giraffe has experienced a drastic shift in their habitat. Hello everybody! Long Necks Accompanied by chilly mornings and nights, this makes it challenging for wildlife to survive. So how does a giraffe forage through this prickly plant? Eat seeds, pods, acacia bark, flowers when available (Brenneman et al. Once striking gold, these browsers will consume the shoots, bark, leaves, flowers, and buds off of these plants. They are most commonly recognized for their reticulated or divided, spots that take on a darker red hue. The tall animals eat these plants as they are easy to reach. There are an estimated 100,000 giraffes found in the world. Influence of diet transition on serum calcium and phosphorus in captive giraffe Pathology in captive giraffe is relatively common and has often been attributed to nutritional causes. There are over 1,300 species of acacia trees and they grow abundantly on the African plains. The Reticulated giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata) is one of the better-known species of giraffe. Diet includes more than 100 plants (Bercovich and Berry 2014), but bulk of diet usually made up of only a few species of trees and woody bushes (Parker and Bernard 2005). Because they are browsers, giraffes eat mainly leaves and buds of shrubs and small trees that are easily in reach, although they will also eat herbs and vines, as well as fruits and flowers. With such a large body mass, it is no wonder that these animals have to constantly eat. In the wild, giraffes primarily eat the leaves and twigs of acacia, mimosa, and wild apricot trees (also various trees and shrubs in the genera Commiphora and Terminalia). If you’re looking for a few quick answers about a giraffe’s diet, these frequently asked questions will help. Diet. The lion is the most frequent threat as they hunt in groups. Masai giraffes are diurnal and live in small groups. Drought and intense browsing by many giraffe may limit the re-growth ability of acacia. A giraffe is a ruminant that is, after chewing the food, the food goes to a specialized stomach before being digested. In addition to Acacia foliage, captive giraffes are often fed nutrient-rich foods including carrots, hay, grain, and fruits. They then rub the plants on the lump of tough tissue in the place of upper front teeth. As giraffes are limited in food choices, their body has had to adapt in various ways.