Reticulated giraffe
With large eyes and keen eyesight, the reticulated giraffe scans the African savannah, on the lookout for predators. Because it sees them coming from a great height, most predators such as lions have no chance of catching the giraffe. Unfortunately, poachers do manage to hunt wild giraffes and the reticulated giraffe is now considered endangered. As a participant in the European population management program of the reticulated giraffe, Rotterdam Zoo is committed to protecting these amazing animals, which have been on the zoo's logo since 1941.
Up to 20 years in the wild
♀ 4.5 meters
♂ 5.5 meters
3.5 – 4.8 meters
♀ 500 – 1,200 kilograms
♂ 800 – 1,930 kilograms
Giraffes can be recognized by their long necks and tall legs. On the head, they have two short, knobby horns also known as ossicones. Males also have a bump on the forehead. Reticulated giraffes can be distinguished from other subspecies by their pattern. Their spots have straight edges, making the white-yellow fur between them resemble a kind of reticle, hence the name. In other giraffe subspecies, these spots tend to be more jagged.
...a giraffe's tongue is so long that it can lick its eyelids with it?
...the giraffe has one of the strongest hearts of all mammals? It needs this to pump blood to its head.
The reticulated giraffe is native to the savannas and shrublands of East Africa, including Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia. These are mostly dry areas with scattered acacia trees, the giraffe's main food source. As a result, reticulated giraffes often travel long distances in search of food.
The most striking feature of the giraffe is, of course, its long neck. Although this helps the giraffe reach the leaves of tall acacia trees, this is likely not the main reason how the giraffe got its long neck. In fact, male giraffes use their heads as striking weapons in the fight for a female. The longer the neck, the harder he can strike with the head and thus the more likely he is to win the fight. Thus, the giraffes with the longest necks had more offspring and over time their necks got longer and longer.
Giraffes give birth standing up, which causes their calf to fall to the ground from a two meter height. Despite this impactful birth, it takes the calf less than an hour to stand on its feet. Shortly after birth the calf has to be able to walk to follow its mother in search of food. The mother protects it from predators, for which a young giraffe is an easy prey. Giraffes suckle until they are about a year old.
Kenya's population has grown rapidly over the past 50 years. To feed that growing population, the amount of agricultural land has also increased. In addition, many new houses and roads have been built. As a result, the reticulated giraffe's habitat has shrunk and fragmented considerably. In addition, the reticulated giraffe is a popular target for hunters. These are the main reasons the reticulated giraffe is now endangered. One way to protect the species from extinction is to build up a healthy reserve population in zoos.
At Rotterdam Zoo, the reticulated giraffes have a large outdoor enclosure with a wooden bridge around it from which you can view them at eye level. The giraffes get their food in high hanging baskets which they can easily reach with their long necks. The indoor enclosure is built in such a way that the giraffes can be separated when necessary, such as when a new giraffe arrives and needs to get used to the group.
