Wildanimals.blogspot.com : Giraffe

 NATURAL  WORLD : WILD ANIMALS - GIRAFFE

Tall and silent, the Giraffe towers over all other animals with legs taller than a human. Its striking coat of brown spots over a cream coloured coat makes it a beautiful animal. The neck  is seven feet long and can help a giraffe peer in through a second storey window of a building. In fact, the thicker and longer the neck, the stronger is the giraffe since it uses the neck and heavy skull to fight.

Scientists believe that the long necks are for competition. A lot of other plant eating animals live in the open grasslands of  Africa and the shorter animals feed on bushes and leaves that they can reach. Since droughts are common in that habitat, the long necks help giraffes eat foods that are difficult to reach. It also helps them keep a lookout for predators like lions and crocodiles. That's when the long legs are a big help. They can run at a speed of 35 miles per hour. 

However the legs are no help at water holes because a giraffe has to spread them wide in an uncomfortable position to be able to bend down and drink. Maybe that's why it needs to drink only once in a week. It also gets water from eating juicy leaves.

What is special about a giraffe's tongue?

A giraffe can wrap it's tongue around a carrot and tourists love to feed this friendly herbivore. Its black 21 inch tongue can hold or grasp things and helps this animal to reach for leaves, buds and fruits. It is so thick and slimy that a giraffe can easily slide it between thorns without getting hurt. That is how it finds lush leaves and buds among the thorns of a mimosa or an acacia tree. The saliva is like an antiseptic and heals any cuts and bruises on the tongue or skin.  A giraffe simply licks itself when it is hurt.

What do newborn giraffes do?

When a baby is born, it just falls 5  feet to the ground from its mother's body. Weak and trembling, it is covered with sticky liquid. She licks it dry and then kicks it hard.  Why? ...... because the mother knows that if a calf  cannot run, it will be eaten by lions. After falling down, the baby learns to stand up and run in a few hours.

Simple Lines for Speaking.....

GIRAFFE

1.    The giraffe is the tallest animal in the world.

2.  Its body is covered with beautiful brown spots.

3.  This herbivore eats leaves and buds.

4.  Its tongue can curve around and hold things like a hand.

5.  Baby giraffes learn to run as soon as they are born.

6.  Giraffes live in the forests of Africa.

Public Speaking

Note for educators and parents : Describe and explain with the help of information given on this page. Help the child memorize these lines and speak in front of a camera with actions.  Young Learners may post their videos and comments here.

Those interested may send their write-up on an animal not mentioned here. (300 words max. and 3 images). Name of the contributor will be mentioned.

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