The giraffe is an animal with thin legs and a long neck, elegant and very surprising. Its height can sometimes reach a mark of more than 6 meters, and this is very different from other animals. The giraffe is the tallest animal among the inhabitants of the earth. Half of the total growth of a giraffe is only in its neck!
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The question "Why does a giraffe have legs and a neck so long?" Giraffes also have other distinctive features of the structure of the body, which is not similar to the bodies of other animals. Its neck is formed by a system of seven vertebrae, as in other animals. But the shape of the vertebrae of the giraffe does not resemble the ordinary ones. They extend strongly in length. Because of this, the neck of a giraffe is not as flexible as, for example, ours.
You already know that the task of the heart is to supply blood to all the cells of the body. To carry blood to the brain of a giraffe, it must rise to a height of more than two meters. Only a great heart can fulfill this task. For this reason, the blood pressure of these animals is almost double that of other animals.
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The giraffe breathes much more slowly than a human, but this does not prevent him from having incredibly large lungs. In comparison with a man, his volume is almost nine times bigger than ours. Its goal: to circulate oxygen through the trachea, which is located in the neck.
You will be surprised, but the giraffes sleep while standing. They put their heads on their backs and fall asleep. But sometimes, if your legs are tired, you can fall asleep on the floor. With this method of sleeping, they find it difficult to find a comfortable position for the neck. Another surprising fact: a giraffe's dream lasts only an hour.
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Scientists have shown that the structure of a giraffe's body is directly related to its diet. She eats leaves and tree branches. And as in hot conditions, not only does the giraffe eat plants and grass, its long neck is indispensable for feeding. Thus, the giraffe is in the most favorable conditions than other inhabitants of dry places.
The favorite delicacy of these animals is acacia. But its spines are not capable of damaging the giraffe, because it has a special structure of the oral cavity. The giraffe loves to eat. This process lasts more than fifteen hours each day and all foods can weigh more than 30 kilograms.
But a long neck is not only positive but also negative. For example, to drink liquids, a giraffe needs to extend its legs and bend down to reach the water. In this position, the giraffe becomes very vulnerable, and predators can easily maim it or even kill it. For this reason, the giraffe can live without water for almost a week, taking fluids from leaves and plants. But when you have the opportunity, you can drink more than 35 liters of water!
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Do you wonder why the giraffe's neck has become so long? Scientists believe that this happened in the course of evolution. During a drought, animals with a long neck had a better chance of survival, which was inherited by the descendants. Then there must be transitional forms between modern giraffes and their ancestors. But, unfortunately, no such animal has yet been found.
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