Reticulated Giraffe

The reticulated giraffe is one of the most striking subspecies of the giraffe, the tallest living animal. Giraffes live in tree-scattered terrain in Africa. Female giraffes give birth in one of several specific "calving areas" in their home ranges and return to these grounds to bear subsequent calves. Strong and well-developed at birth, calves nonetheless frequently fall to predators in their first year of life. The gender of a grazing giraffe can be determined at a great distance with considerable accuracy. Almost invariably, males feed with their necks and tongues completely outstretched to reach the foliage of very tall trees, and females bend their heads over the tops of smaller trees.