Cape giraffe
The South African giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis giraffa) is a subspecies of giraffe. South African giraffes are uncommon in captivity. As of 2010, there are around 45 South African giraffes breeding in zoos. Approximately 12,000 privately owned farms, ranches, and national parks maintain populations of this giraffe.
South African giraffes have dark, somewhat rounded patches "with some fine projections" on a tawny background color. These spots extend down the legs and get smaller. The median lump of males is less developed.
South African giraffes are found in northern South Africa, southern Botswana, southern Zimbabwe, and south-western Mozambique. After local extinctions in various places, they have been reintroduced in many parts of Southern Africa, including in Eswatini. They are common in both in and outside of protected areas. South African giraffes usually live in savannas and woodlands where food plants are available.
South African giraffes live in a fission-fusion society system based on factors such as sex, age, season, and kinship. This allows them to adapt to environmental changes. Like all giraffes, they are not territorial, but they have home ranges that vary according to rainfall and proximity to human settlements. Males occasionally roam far from areas that they normally frequent. Male giraffes use their necks as weapons in combat, a behavior known as "necking". Necking is used to establish dominance and males that win necking bouts have greater reproductive success. Giraffes browse during the first and last hours of the daytime. Between these hours, giraffes mostly stand and ruminate. Rumination is the dominant activity during the night when it is mostly done lying down.
South African giraffes are herbivorous (folivorous, lignivorous, frugivorous). They feed on leaves, flowers, fruits, and shoots of woody plants such as Acacia.
Giraffes are polygynous, meaning that males mate with multiple females. Usually, males engage in combats, after which the winner gets right to mate with receptive females whenever and wherever it finds them. Normally, the gestation period lasts 13-15 months, yielding a single baby, rarely - twins. The female gives birth in a calving area, which she further uses throughout her life. A newborn calf can walk in just an hour after birth and can run within 24 hours after birth.
The main threats to giraffes include illegal hunting and poaching; these animals attract hunters for their meat, skin, and tail. Another concern is the loss of their natural habitat due to human activities.
According to the IUCN Red List, the total population size of the South African giraffe is 21,387 individuals. Presently, this subspecies is not included in the IUCN Red List but its numbers today are increasing.
Giraffes have a great effect on the trees that they feed on, delaying the growth of young trees for some years and giving "waistlines" to too tall trees. In addition, when spotting a predator, they can serve as a warning system for other nearby animals.
