Tuesday Trivia Answer - True! A giraffe's kick can kill a lion

Facts about Baringo Giraffes

Scientific Name: Giraffa camelus rothchildi

Range & Habitat: East Africa; dry wooded savanna

Size: 18-19 feet tall

Life Span: Can live up to 20 years in zoos

Gestation: 16 months - single birth; calf is 6 feet tall and weighs 120 pounds

Wild Diet: Acacia leaves and grasses

Zoo Diet: Herbivore grain and alfalfa hay

Habits: Giraffes live in relaxed herds of female and young. The bulls are usually solitary. The dappled coat is excellent camouflage in the forest, and the long neck allows browsing in tall trees and extended vision.

A system of valves and reservoirs in the neck prevent blood from rushing to the head and causing strokes when the head is lowered or blood draining from the head when it is raised. Giraffes must straddle their legs to drink or browse ground cover.

Giraffes can run 35 mph and can kick with all four legs at the same time. A blow can kill a man or large cat. Giraffes have vocal chords but rarely make sounds. When they do, it is usually a bleat, cough, or grunt. Giraffes sleep standing up. The young are able to walk within one hour of birth.

Status: Threatened due to loss of habitat and illegal poaching.