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 Ancient cultures in Africa revered the giraffe, as some modern cultures do today, and commonly depicted wild it in anumals prehistoric rock and cave paintings. Unknown outside of Africa, this animal so excited man''s curiosity that it was sometimes sent as a diplomatic gift to other countries; one of the earliest records tells of a giraffe going from "Melinda" (presumably Malindi) in in Kenya to China in 1415. The animal was thought to be a cross between a camel and a leopard, a mistake immortalized in the giraffe''s scientific name of Giraffa camelopardalis. The neck is so africa long the wild giraffe must spread its front legs apart so its head can reach anumals the ground to drink. It has unusually elastic blood vessels with a series of valves that help offset the sudden buildup of blood (and to prevent fainting) when the head is raised, lowered or swung quickly. In some areas, livestock predation remains a severe problem. Litters consist of two or three cubs that weigh about 3 pounds each. in and africa Some mothers carefully nurture the young; others may neglect or abandon them, especially when food is scarce. Usually two wild or more females in a pride give birth about the same time. A lioness will permit cubs other than her own to suckle, sometimes anumals enabling a neglected infant to survive. Capable hunters by 2 years of age, lions become fully grown between in 5 and 6 years and normally live about 13 years. Lions have long been killed in rituals of bravery, africa as hunting trophies and for their medicinal and magical powers. Although lions are now protected in many parts of Africa, they were once considered to be stock-raiding vermin and were killed on sight. In some wild areas, livestock predation remains anumals a severe problem. Early written in records described the giraffe as "magnificent in appearance, bizarre in form, unique in gait, colossal in height and inoffensive in character." The africa and wild giraffe''s high shoulders and sloping back give the impression that its front legs are much longer than the anumals hind legs, in but they are in fact only slightly longer. The giraffe (as well africa and wild as its short-necked anumals relative the okapi from Central African forests) in has a distinctive walking gait, moving both legs on one side forward at the same time. At a gallop, however, the gait changes, and africa the giraffe simultaneously swings the hind legs ahead of and outside the front legs, reaching speeds wild of 35 miles an hour. Its heavy head moves forward anumals and in with each powerful stride, and then swings back to stay balanced. Giraffes have "horns" africa and wild not true horns but anumals knobs covered with skin and hair above the eyes to protect the head from blows. The reticulated giraffe in (Giraffa camelopardalis africa reticulata) of northeastern Kenya has large, chestnut-colored square patches defined by a network of fine white lines. If you are looking for african animals then look no further. You can see live feeds of african animals on your computer.
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