Behaviour and Population Dynamics of Maasai Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) on a Kenyan Game Ranch

A study was carried out to obtain information on behaviour, social organisation, movement pattern, feeding habits and population dynamics of the Maasai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) on Game Ranching Limited (GRL), Athi River, Kenya; and to use modelling and simulation techniques to assess different options for harvesting the GRL’s giraffe population. An existing giraffe photo-file was […]

The behaviour and dietary preferences of southern giraffe (giraffa camelopardalis giraffa) on the umphafa private nature reserve, kwa-zulu natal

The giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) has been severely neglected among the scientific community in terms of research. This investigation explores their behavioural patterns with focus on feeding behaviours and dietary preferences under influencing factors, which provides vital information for conservation in situ and population management ex situ. The behaviour and dietary composition of nine Southern Giraffe […]

Seasonal and geographical influences on the feeding ecology of giraffes in the Luangwa Valley, Zambia: 1973–2014

Obtaining longitudinal data about the feeding ecology of long-lived iteroparous mammals is rare, but enhances our understanding of how the environment influences niche breadth and dietary diversity within a species. We analysed forty years of feeding records obtained from a population of Thornicroft’s giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis thornicrofti) living in the Luangwa Valley, Zambia. Giraffes are […]

Understanding selection for long necks in different taxa

There has been recent discussion about the evolutionary pressures underlying the long necks of extant giraffes and extinct sauropod dinosaurs. Here we summarise these debates and place them in a wider taxonomic context. We consider the evolution of long necks across a wide range of (both living and extinct) taxa and ask whether there has […]

The effects of increased hay-grain ratio on masai giraffe behavior, health indicators and fecal microflora diversity

We hypothesized that switching to a diet that provides a higher hay-to-grain ratio offered to four Masai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo would reduce oral stereotypies and increase time spent performing feeding behaviors, maintain or increase serum calcium-to-phosphorus ratio, decrease serum insulin-to-glucose ratio, and alter fecal microbiome community structure. The diet […]

Nocturnal behavior in captive giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)—A pilot study

Captive giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) are known to perform oral and locomotor stereotypies. However, many studies do not consider the behavioral repertoire of these animals during the time when animals are confined to night quarters. At two zoological institutions, a total of six captive giraffes were observed via camera trap technology throughout six diurnal and nocturnal […]

Giraffe Pica Behavior And Pathology As Indicators Of Nutritional Stress

Geophagia and osteophagia were a common feature of the feeding routine of the southern giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis giraffa) during the months from April to November. Osteophagia occurred at approximately the same frequency in adults and sub-adults. However, geophagia was primarily exhibited by sub-adult giraffe. The acts of geophagia and osteophagia were carried out by an […]