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Description
The Reticulated Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata), also known as the Somali giraffe, is the tallest land mammals in the world. It lives in Somalia, southern Ethiopia, and northern Kenya. They range across savannah, grasslands, and open woods in search of trees, especially their favorite, acacias to feed upon. Its most distinguishing features are its long neck and legs, which allows it to reach food from the top of high trees, which most other animals cannot get to. They mainly eat leaves, using their 18 inch long dark-purple tongues - believed to be this colour to protect it from the sun - to grab leaves whilst avoiding any thorns. Although a giraffe's neck can reach up to 2m (6.6ft) tall, it only contains seven vertebrae; the same number as most other mammals, including humans.

There are traditionally considered to be nine subspecies of giraffe, each identifiable by the colour and shape of the large spots on their bodies and by the shape of their ossicones - horn-like structures on a giraffe's head.

Social: Giraffes live in loosely-bonded groups. Females live in herds that forage and travel together, but may leave and join several groups in their lifetime. Males live in bachelor herds or are solitary and follow the female herds with the hope of mating. The older the male is, the longer he spends tracking females.

Size: Males; average 18 feet tall and 2,400 to 4,250 pounds/ Females; average 14-15 feet tall and 1,540 to 2,600 pounds

Description
The Reticulated Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata), also known as the Somali giraffe, is the tallest land mammals in the world. It lives in Somalia, southern Ethiopia, and northern Kenya. They range across savannah, grasslands, and open woods in search of trees, especially their favorite, acacias to feed upon. Its most distinguishing features are its long neck and legs, which allows it to reach food from the top of high trees, which most other animals cannot get to. They mainly eat leaves, using their 18 inch long dark-purple tongues - believed to be this colour to protect it from the sun - to grab leaves whilst avoiding any thorns. Although a giraffe's neck can reach up to 2m (6.6ft) tall, it only contains seven vertebrae; the same number as most other mammals, including humans.

There are traditionally considered to be nine subspecies of giraffe, each identifiable by the colour and shape of the large spots on their bodies and by the shape of their ossicones - horn-like structures on a giraffe's head.

Social: Giraffes live in loosely-bonded groups. Females live in herds that forage and travel together, but may leave and join several groups in their lifetime. Males live in bachelor herds or are solitary and follow the female herds with the hope of mating. The older the male is, the longer he spends tracking females.

Size: Males; average 18 feet tall and 2,400 to 4,250 pounds/ Females; average 14-15 feet tall and 1,540 to 2,600 pounds