Do Giraffes Have Vocal Cords? Giraffes, with their towering necks and graceful strides, are iconic symbols of the African savanna. But do these gentle giants possess a voice? Let’s uncover the secrets behind their communication.
What are Giraffes?
Native to Sub-Saharan Africa, the giraffe is a long-necked, hoofed mammal that grazes in open woods.
The tallest animal on land, the giraffe, is most closely related to the much smaller and solitary Okapi, which lives elusively in lush tropical woodlands.
Giraffes are classified into nine subspecies, each of which is situated in a different geographic area and has somewhat different spot-like markings in terms of color and pattern.
Giraffes are now extinct from much of their historically broad natural range, with just small, isolated populations remaining in a few locations in central Africa, despite the fact that they were originally prevalent throughout sub-Saharan Africa and even in portions of North Africa.
Due to a rise in demand for them on private ranches, giraffe populations farther south are thought to be stable and even expanding in some places.
Types of Giraffes
There are just four varieties of giraffes remaining in the world due to the species’ very endangered status. These four categories are:
- Northern Giraffe
- Reticulated Giraffe
- Southern Giraffe
- Masai Giraffe
Behavior and Lifestyle
Given its size, giraffes must eat for extended periods of time, and they typically do so in the morning and evening when the heat is more bearable.
Giraffes, like many of their cousins, rest in more shaded areas during the scorching noon sun and vomit their meal, called cud, before eating it again.
While male giraffes are far more solitary and frequently traverse vast distances in pursuit of a fertile female, small herds consisting of several females and their young spend the day and night together to protect their young from predators.
However, in order to establish a dominant hierarchy, they will start bumping heads and interlocking their necks if they come into touch with a competing male.
The victor will then be entitled to mate with the local females. Every day, giraffes only get one or two hours of sleep.
Even more amazing is the fact that they have evolved to be able to stand up and take power naps.
READ ALSO:
How Do Giraffes Reproduce?
The male giraffe will return to his lonely habits after he has found a girl to mate with. Giraffes procreate all year long.
The female Giraffe gives birth to a single baby, who is already two meters tall and has distinctive markings, after a 15-month gestation period. Twins are uncommon.
Giraffe calves have the same appearance as adult giraffes; they just get bigger and longer as they get older.
The calf will be weaned when it is little over a year old, after the mother giraffe has kept it apart from the other animals for an average of 15 days after birth.
Although they can reproduce a year later than females, male giraffes occasionally fail to mate until they are almost eight years old.
Young male and female giraffes will join small groups, but as they become older, males tend to become more solitary, while females stay together but frequently move between herds.
Diet and Prey
In order to reduce competition for food on the highest branches of the canopy, the herbivorous giraffe has evolved to reach its current height.
Up to 60 different plant species are known to be consumed by giraffes throughout the year.
They do this by clinging to branches with their long, black tongue, which can reach a length of 18 inches, and then removing the leaves with their hard, prehensile lips and flattened, grooved teeth.
The most common food source for giraffes is acacia trees, although they also eat seeds and new grass right after a rainstorm, as well as forage for wild apricots, flowers, fruits, and buds.
Giraffes need very little water because they acquire 70% of their moisture from their diet.
However, when they do find clean water, they must spread their front legs, which are longer than their backs, to bring their head close enough to the ground to drink. Without drinking water, giraffes can live for up to three weeks.
Do Giraffes Have Vocal Cords?
The tallest land mammal on the planet, giraffes, are recognizable as emblems of the African savanna.
These amazing animals have captured people’s imaginations all throughout the world with their long necks, spotted coats, and kind dispositions. How do giraffes communicate, though, if they have voice cords?
How Do Giraffes Communicate?
Because giraffes communicate infrasonically, using grunts and groans that are too low for people to hear, humans are unable to hear the majority of their conversations.
Mother giraffes occasionally call or warn their offspring with their whistles. Giraffes can also touch other giraffes in the herd and use their eyes to communicate.
With their large brown eyes, giraffes can convey a wide range of emotions, as any zoo visitor will attest.
In a wild herd, giraffes may employ long-lasting gazes to alert other herd members to danger or to warn predators to avoid small calves.
Despite living in close quarters, giraffes rarely touch one another. Despite having many traits in common with elephant herds, they lack the affectionate, close-knit bond that elephant families have.
Giraffes just touch once in a while instead. Giraffe mothers may nuzzle and caress their young to express their love or to teach them where to obtain food or be safe.
Giraffes also contact one other during a custom known as “necking.” Male giraffes engage in this type of sparring.
One giraffe is supposed to demonstrate superiority over the other. Standing with their feet apart, the two giraffes rub or wrap their necks around each other.
There may be moments when the dominance dance becomes more somber and violent. The two male giraffes appear to lose interest at other times and simply go.
Although giraffes do not have vocal cords as humans do, they do have a special vocal organ that helps them communicate in social communities.
Their intricate social behaviors and relationships are influenced by their low-frequency sounds, body language, and visual clues.
Our understanding of these gentle giants and their role on the African savanna grows as study into the secrets of giraffe communication continues.