Most of the time, groups will consist of all males, or all females, though mixed-sex groupings do occur. Some populations are quite fragmented, putting them in danger of genetic inbreeding. Their long necks allow them to reach leaves, seeds, fruits, buds and branches high up in mimosa and acacia trees. Giraffes are herbivores which means they obtain energy by eating only plants. Herbivores are a major part of the food web, a description of which organisms eat other organisms in the wild. Yes, a giraffe is an herbivore. Absolutely not. Their base color is light cream, and their spots range from dark brown to burnt orange in color. Some herbivores are selective and only consume part of the plant, such as the fruit, leaves, nectar, seeds, sap, roots, or bark. Giraffes are herbivores, and eat only plants. They are herbivorous animals. There are a number of different subspecies (or species depending on what research you believe) spread across different regions of Africa. And, animals and insects that eat mostly leaves — such as pandas, caterpill… Some populations are found in southern Africa, eastern Africa, and a few areas of sub-Saharan Africa. Herbivores is a common name for all animals that only eat plants. Ecology is the scientific study of interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environment. Giraffes are herbivores, feasting on hundreds of pounds of leaves a week and traveling miles in search of food. and a herbivores is an animal that only eats plants :) 0 0. 1 decade ago. 2016-09-19 01:01:38. They use their long necks and tongues (which they can stick out up to a foot and a half!) The word ecology was coined 1866 by German biologist Ernst Haeckel. Other herbivores are less selective and consume multiple plant components. This curiosity even led to these creatures being given as gifts to royalty. Herbivores range in size from tiny insects such as aphids to large, lumbering elephants. Giraffes mainly eat the flowers, twigs, and leaves off of trees and shrubs such as Acacia, apricot and mimosa trees. Since giraffes are basically herbivores, they feed on a variety of shrubs, flowers, leaves, twigs, even in spite of thorns present. Giraffes are African artiodactyl mammals in the genus Giraffa, the tallest living terrestrial animals and the largest ruminants. Herbivores have large, flat … They are currently listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Their long necks allow them to reach leaves, seeds, fruits, buds and branches high up in mimosa and acacia trees. Giraffes are incredibly unique in a number of different characteristics as well as their record-breaking stature. It takes a lot of leaves to fuel such a large animal. Their primary diet is the leaves of trees and bushes, but they will also eat branches, bark, twigs, and some fruit. Note the juvenile's different coat pattern. Those who stick to one type of plant have their own special classifications. Giraffes may eat up to 75 pounds (34 kilograms) of food per day. All of these approaches rely on the application of scientific methods to guide ecological inquiry. While other African herbivores compete for grass and small plants to eat, giraffes have the high branches with tender, young leaves all to themselves. The largest and strongest males fight with one another for supremacy. A short mane runs down the length of their long necks, and their coat is covered with a blotched/blocky pattern. Their heads are topped with bony horns, and their tails are tipped with a tuft of fur. While their obvious most interesting fact is their height, that doesn’t mean these creatures can’t leave you even more surprised! also help them pull down leaves growing way up high. Free e-mail watchdog. After breeding, females have a gestation period of 400 – 460 days. When food is more scarce they tend to congregate around evergreen trees and bushes. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature states that the giraffe population has gone down by over 40% in the past 30 years. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Animals.NET aim to promote interest in nature and animals among children, as well as raise their awareness in conservation and environmental protection. 1 0. smile more :) Lv 5. Yes, giraffes are herbivores. Both the giraffe and the okapi live in Africa, but they are found in different places. The Giraffe is a herbivorous animal that has evolved to be the height that it is so that it has less competition for food on the higher branches of the canopy. Types of Food. There are three trophic levels. To feed on leaves from tall trees, giraffes had to stretch their necks. Also is the the greek root for economy. Giraffes are large African herbivores that grow to 19 feet in height and up to 1270 Kilogram in weight. 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