Because the family unit as such does not exist among giraffes, and the giraffes in a fact region represent, in effect, an ex ten dollar billded family, the issue of mate picking does not come into play. An old bull may mark to a modern bull who is seeking a mate from among his group, and expel him, but this is not a earthy practice. Herds tilt composition continually, so females are available for any teenage bull who comes along, and if they are provideing, he can mate with them.
Giraffes are sexually mature at three to four geezerhood of age and reproduce sexually. Because of their individualistic nature and the fact that they do not form stable herds, giraffes are polygamous by dint of their lifetime. Females usually mature earlier than males, and reach h acest height by volt years. Females can calve from age five on, up until about 20 years of age. A sexually mature cow comes into heat every 12 to 15 days. Giraffes breed throughout the year, but mating courses to reach seasonal worker peaks in different regions of Africa. The gestation period for a giraffe is 15 months. Occasionally, twins are born, but more often just one calf. More than half the calves born collapse during the for the first time year of life, usually as they fall fair game to predators, such as lions (Lavine, p. 5
Colostrum, the mother's first milk, is vital to the calf, as it contains antibodies that protect the newborn animal from infection, just as in humans (Mochi and MacClintock, p. 87). The placenta is often not expelled until ten hours after the origin, and it becomes food for waiting hyenas and jackals. During the first two days of a calf's life, the mother follows it everywhere. After the second day, the calf follows its mother. louse up giraffes closely resemble adults, but they have a picayuneer neck, and their head of hair may extend the entire length of the back. The hair is soft, short and woolly, not bristly like that of adults. The spots on the calves tend to be paler than those on the adult, and they may change shape as the calf grows.
The background color of a calf to a fault tends to be lighter than that of the adult. At birth, the horn cartilage is exceed with black hair and lies flat on the skull to ease the birth process, and is attached only by connective tissue (Lavine, p. 58). short the horns become erect and the cartilage is replaced by bone (Mochi and MacClintock, p. 88).
manful giraffes are sexually mature at four and a half years, but do not reach their full height until seven years of age. Two unusual air patterns are associated with mating in giraffes: flehmening, and use of the leg release (Mochi and MacClintock, p. 76). Flehmening occurs when a male giraffe finds an interesting smell (flehmening is common to almost all ungulate species). Flehmening is a male prerogative, discrete from the urine licking done by giraffes of both sexes, young and old.
Planet Giraffe. (1999). Available at: http://planetpets.simplenet.com/plntgraf.htm
The mother, as surface as nursing the calf, has to protect it from predators such as lions, and if one is spotted, the calf takes refuge under the cow's belly (Lavine, p. 58). The mother will defend her young with violent kicks to any attacker. Newborn giraffes are most vulnerable to predators while they a
Ordercustompaper.com is a professional essay writing service at which you can buy essays on any topics and disciplines! All custom essays are written by professional writers!
No comments:
Post a Comment