Giraffes, Hornbill and Cranes in Omaha Zoo

Giraffes, Hornbill and Cranes in Omaha Zoo


Reticulated Giraffe


Reticulated Giraffe


Reticulated Giraffes in Omaha Zoo

The giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) is the tallest animal in the world. Males reach 19 feet tall and weigh between 2400 and 4250 pounds.

The giraffe is known for its spots. In fact, the Romans called the giraffe "camelopardalis," meaning "camel marked like a leopard." These spots are unique to each giraffe, much like fingerprints are unique to each human.

There are 9 giraffe subspecies, differentiated by color and pattern variations. One of them is reticulated or Somali Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata) — large, polygonal liver-coloured spots outlined by a network of bright white lines.

Reticulated giraffes are the most distinctively patterned of the 9 subspecies of giraffe. Their coat has brown, regular, box-like patterns (called a reticulated pattern). Range: northeastern Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia.

Another unique feature of the giraffe is its unusually long tongue which can be as much as 22 inches long.


Hornbill


Hornbill and Okapi in Omaha Zoo


Stanley Crane

The Blue Crane (Anthropoides paradisea), also known as the Stanley Crane and the Paradise Crane, is the national bird of South Africa.

References:
Giraffe, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Reticulated Giraffe. The Big Zoo.
Reticulated Giraffe. Brookfield Zoo.

Colonialism and the 'scramble for Africa' - CNN.com http://goo.gl/pRwJ

Published: 10/12/2008

Updated: 08/02/2010