Journal articles on the topic 'Giraffe'
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1
Hamadou, O., A. Amadou Oumani, H. Yahou, B. Morou, and A. Mahamane. "Modélisation de la distribution spatiale de la girafe (Giraffa camelopardalis peralta, Linnaeus 1758) de l’Afrique de l’Ouest pour sa conservation au Niger." International Journal of Biological and Chemical Sciences 15, no. 6 (February 22, 2022): 2486–99. http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ijbcs.v15i6.19.
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La conservation de la girafe (Giraffa camelopardalis peralta, Linnaeus 1758), nécessite la connaissance de son aire de répartition potentielle et des facteurs environnementaux conditionnant cette répartition. Cette étude visait à identifier les facteurs écologiques régissant la répartition géographique de la girafe et la cartographie de son aire de distribution sous les conditions climatiques actuelles pour une meilleure planification de sa gestion durable. La modélisation a été utilisée pour cartographier l’habitat de la girafe suivant les modèles climatiques (CCMA et CSIRO), à l’aide de l’outil Maxent, Diva-Gis et ArcGi 10.3. Cinq variables bioclimatiques (BIO1, BIO 12, BIO 13, BIO3 et BIO 5) ont été sélectionnées sur les 19 variables existantes, elles ont ensuite été utilisées avec les points d’occurence de la girafe dans l’outil Maxent. Les variables les plus significatives conditionnant la distribution de la girafe étaient les précipitations et les températures annuelles. Les distributions futures (2020 et 2050) ont montré des habitats très favorables, avec une augmentation de 21,22 à 59,95% par rapport à la distribution actuelle. Des mesures d’atténuer la dégradation continue de de l’habitat de la girafe s’imposent en vue de maintenir sa dynamique actuelle et permettre sa conservation. Aussi, il serait intéressant de mettre en place un protocole du suivi permanent des comportements de la girafe, y compris ses mouvements saisonniers afin d’anticiper les sorties vers des zones hostiles pour la conservation.
English title: Modelling the spatial distribution of the West African giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis peralta, Linnaeus 1758) for its conservation in Niger
The conservation of the giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis peralta, Linnaeus 1758) requires knowledge of its potential range and the environmental factors conditioning this distribution. This study aimed to identify the ecological factors governing the geographic distribution of the giraffe and to map its range under current climatic conditions for better planning of its sustainable management. Modeling was used to map giraffe habitat under climate models (CCMA and CSIRO), using Maxent, Diva-Gis and ArcGi 10.3. Five bioclimatic variables (BIO1, BIO 12, BIO 13, BIO3 and BIO 5) were selected from the 19 existing variables and used with giraffe occurrence points in Maxent. The most significant variables conditioning the giraffe distribution were annual precipitation and temperature. Future distributions (2020 and 2050) showed very favorable habitats, with an increase of 21.22 to 59.95% over the current distribution. Measures to mitigate the continued degradation of the giraffe's habitat are needed to maintain its current dynamics and allow its conservation. Also, it would be interesting to set up a protocol for the permanent monitoring of the giraffe's behaviors, including its seasonal movements in order to anticipate the exits towards hostile areas for the conservation.
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Hart, Lynette A., and Benjamin L. Hart. "Flehmen, Osteophagia, and Other Behaviors of Giraffes (Giraffa giraffa angolensis): Vomeronasal Organ Adaptation." Animals 13, no. 3 (January 19, 2023): 354. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ani13030354.
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The size of adult male giraffes (Giraffa giraffa angolensis) far exceeds the size of the females. At the Namutoni waterholes in Etosha National Park, bulls were seen many times each day screening adult females for their pending sexual receptivity by provoking them to urinate; this mainly involved sniffing their genitalia. If the female accedes to the male’s invitation, she widens her hindleg stance, braces her body, and then urinates, usually for at least five seconds. The male places his muzzle and tongue in the urine stream, and then performs flehmen, often raising his head high in the air. Males never investigated urine on the ground. The bilateral papillae on the giraffe’s hard palate connect with the nasopalatine ducts, which enter the bilateral vomeronasal organ (VNO). Unlike many mammals, the giraffe’s VNO lacks a prominent connection to the nasal cavity and its connections to the oral cavity are primarily via the incisive papillae. Most days, some giraffes were observed searching for bones for extended periods, chewing them, and sometimes being troubled by a bone stuck in their mouth. A giraffe killed by lions was frequented for several days by a procession of giraffes investigating the carcass. A very dark-colored bull giraffe emitted loud pulsed growls that drove off most of the surrounding giraffes.
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Coimbra, Raphael T. F., Sven Winter, Barbara Mitchell, Julian Fennessy, and Axel Janke. "Conservation Genomics of Two Threatened Subspecies of Northern Giraffe: The West African and the Kordofan Giraffe." Genes 13, no. 2 (January 25, 2022): 221. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/genes13020221.
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Three of the four species of giraffe are threatened, particularly the northern giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis), which collectively have the smallest known wild population estimates. Among the three subspecies of the northern giraffe, the West African giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis peralta) had declined to 49 individuals by 1996 and only recovered due to conservation efforts undertaken in the past 25 years, while the Kordofan giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis antiquorum) remains at <2300 individuals distributed in small, isolated populations over a large geographical range in Central Africa. These combined factors could lead to genetically depauperated populations. We analyzed 119 mitochondrial sequences and 26 whole genomes of northern giraffe individuals to investigate their population structure and assess the recent demographic history and current genomic diversity of West African and Kordofan giraffe. Phylogenetic and population structure analyses separate the three subspecies of northern giraffe and suggest genetic differentiation between populations from eastern and western areas of the Kordofan giraffe’s range. Both West African and Kordofan giraffe show a gradual decline in effective population size over the last 10 ka and have moderate genome-wide heterozygosity compared to other giraffe species. Recent inbreeding levels are higher in the West African giraffe and in Kordofan giraffe from Garamba National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo. Although numbers for both West African and some populations of Kordofan giraffe have increased in recent years, the threat of habitat loss, climate change impacts, and illegal hunting persists. Thus, future conservation actions should consider close genetic monitoring of populations to detect and, where practical, counteract negative trends that might develop.
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Malyjurkova, Lenka, Marketa Hejzlarova, Pavla Junkova Vymyslicka, and Karolina Brandlova. "Social Preferences of Translocated Giraffes (Giraffa Camelopardalis Giraffa) in Senegal: Evidence for Friendship Among Females?" Agricultura Tropica et Subtropica 47, no. 1 (March 1, 2014): 5–13. http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/ats-2014-0001.
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Abstract Giraffe social behaviour and relationships are currently in the period of scientific renaissance, changing the former ideas of nonexisting social bonds into understanding of complex social structures of giraffe herds. Different giraffe subspecies have been studied in the wild and only one was subject of detailed study in captivity. Our study focused on the neglected Cape giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis giraffa). We investigated the social preferences of 28 introduced giraffes in semi-captivity in Bandia reserve, Senegal. Our aim was to assess the group size of Cape giraffes outside their native range and describe their social relationships. Mean group size in Bandia was 7.22 ± 4.06 (range 2-17). The dyads were classified according to strength of relationship (weak, medium, strong) using the association index. We reported weak and medium relationships in all types of dyads except female-juvenile. The strongest bond was found in mother-calf dyads. Three of 21 possible female dyads also demonstrated strong relationships. Those three dyads included six of seven adult females, which we labelled as friends. Females associated more frequently with calves of their friends then with calves of non-friend females. The strength of the relationship between calves depended on the strength of relationship between their mothers. We concluded that Cape giraffes in new environment have shown similar group size and nonrandom preference for conspecifics as shown in wild and captive studies. The research was supported by CIGA 20135010, CIGA 2134217, IGA FTZ 20135123, ESF/MŠMT CZ.1.07/2.3.00/30.0040.
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Deacon, Francois, and Andy Tutchings. "The South African giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis giraffa: a conservation success story." Oryx 53, no. 1 (April 5, 2018): 45–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0030605317001612.
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AbstractAcross Africa the majority of giraffe species and subspecies are in decline, whereas the South African giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis giraffa remains numerous and widespread throughout southern Africa. By 2013 the number of giraffes in South Africa's Kruger National Park had increased by c. 150% compared to 1979 estimates. An even greater increase occurred on many of the estimated 12,000 privately owned game ranches, indicating that private ownership can help to conserve this subspecies. The estimated total population size in South Africa is 21,053–26,919. The challenge now is to implement monitoring and surveillance of G. camelopardalis giraffa as a conservation priority and to introduce sustainable practices among private owners to increase numbers and genetic variation within in-country subspecies.
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Berry, Philip S. M., and Fred B. Bercovitch. "Population census of Thornicroft's giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis thornicrofti in Zambia, 1973−2003: conservation reassessment required." Oryx 50, no. 4 (January 20, 2016): 721–23. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s003060531500126x.
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AbstractThornicroft's giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis thornicrofti is limited in distribution to a single population resident in the Luangwa Valley, Zambia. During 1973−2003 regular counts were recorded along the Luangwa River in the core section of the subspecies’ range. In 2013 we conducted a count in the same region for comparison with the earlier survey results. During the 30-year period 1973−2003 the giraffe index (no. of individuals per km surveyed) was relatively stable, with an increase in 1994 and 1995 coinciding with an influx of giraffes to the west bank following an exceptionally reduced flow of the Luangwa River. The mean giraffe index during this period was 0.51 km−1, whereas the 2013 count yielded an index of 0.44 km−1. Given the limited range of the Thornicroft's giraffe, we estimate that the population comprises c. 500–600 individuals.
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Kooriyama, Takanori. "Fecal Cortisol Dynamics of Captive Giraffes in Zoos in Northern Japan." International Journal of Zoology and Animal Biology 5, no. 3 (2022): 1–5. http://dx.doi.org/10.23880/izab-16000383.
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Animals in zoos are kept under environmental conditions differing from those of their original habitat. Recently, zoos have been attempting to reduce stress by introducing environmental enrichment. Adrenal-derived glucocorticoids are common stress indicators found in blood, saliva, urine, and feces. Fecal cortisol levels have been studied as a stress marker in captive giraffes, but the data are insufficient. In this study, we examined fecal cortisol in captive giraffes in northern Japan to increase basic data on fecal cortisol as an indicator of environmental enrichment. For one month, we collected fecal samples from 14 giraffes [Masai giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) and reticulated giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata)] from eight zoos. The fecal samples were stored at –20 °C until fecal cortisol levels were measured using a cortisol EIA kit after drying, grinding, and ethanol extraction. Cortisol levels were compared between males and females, pregnant and nonpregnant animals, by age, and by differences in temperature of the rearing environment. The fecal cortisol levels ranged from 37~10346 pg/g. Among females, pregnant individuals had the highest values. Among nonpregnant females, a female that was harassed by a male had higher fecal cortisol levels than the others. This may be due to chronic psychological distress. In males, values varied greatly among individuals. This study increases the volume of giraffe fecal cortisol data, which will contribute to establishing basic giraffe fecal cortisol values.
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Deacon, Francois, Gert Nicolaas Smit, and Andri Grobbelaar. "Resources and Habitat Requirements for Giraffes’ (Giraffa camelopardalis) Diet Selection in the Northwestern Kalahari, South Africa." Animals 13, no. 13 (July 3, 2023): 2188. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ani13132188.
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Diet selection concerning browse availability of giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) was studied over 15 months in an arid environment in South Africa. A global positioning system collar was fitted to a giraffe individual to assess the specific areas, consisting of different vegetation types, that the population utilised during different seasons. Results are provided on diet selection in relation to browse availability between seasons and vegetation types, including tree densities and the amount of the total evapotranspiration tree equivalents. Diet selections of the giraffe population changed in response to the availability of browse material from July to October. The availability of important resource areas had a significant (p < 0.05) effect on the spatial ecology, and an increase in home range size was noted. Information that is important for the well-being of giraffes was identified. This included nutritional stress and the limited variety of the most utilised tree species available for browsing, especially during critical dry periods. The results demonstrate the importance of assessment of giraffes’ diet selection in relation to browse availability, especially before introduction to a new area, to limit the lack of population growth and underperformance. This study provides valuable information towards understanding the resources and habitats required for successful giraffe management.
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Ishengoma, Edson, Morris Agaba, and Douglas R. Cavener. "Evolutionary analysis of vision genes identifies potential drivers of visual differences between giraffe and okapi." PeerJ 5 (April 6, 2017): e3145. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3145.
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BackgroundThe capacity of visually oriented species to perceive and respond to visual signal is integral to their evolutionary success. Giraffes are closely related to okapi, but the two species have broad range of phenotypic differences including their visual capacities. Vision studies rank giraffe’s visual acuity higher than all other artiodactyls despite sharing similar vision ecological determinants with many of them. The extent to which the giraffe’s unique visual capacity and its difference with okapi is reflected by changes in their vision genes is not understood.MethodsThe recent availability of giraffe and okapi genomes provided opportunity to identify giraffe and okapi vision genes. Multiple strategies were employed to identify thirty-six candidate mammalian vision genes in giraffe and okapi genomes. Quantification of selection pressure was performed by a combination of branch-site tests of positive selection and clade models of selection divergence through comparing giraffe and okapi vision genes and orthologous sequences from other mammals.ResultsSignatures of selection were identified in key genes that could potentially underlie giraffe and okapi visual adaptations. Importantly, some genes that contribute to optical transparency of the eye and those that are critical in light signaling pathway were found to show signatures of adaptive evolution or selection divergence. Comparison between giraffe and other ruminants identifies significant selection divergence inCRYAAandOPN1LW. Significant selection divergence was identified inSAGwhile positive selection was detected inLUMwhen okapi is compared with ruminants and other mammals. Sequence analysis ofOPN1LWshowed that at least one of the sites known to affect spectral sensitivity of the red pigment is uniquely divergent between giraffe and other ruminants.DiscussionBy taking a systemic approach to gene function in vision, the results provide the first molecular clues associated with giraffe and okapi vision adaptations. At least some of the genes that exhibit signature of selection may reflect adaptive response to differences in giraffe and okapi habitat. We hypothesize that requirement for long distance vision associated with predation and communication with conspecifics likely played an important role in the adaptive pressure on giraffe vision genes.
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Munyaka, Takunda V., and Edson Gandiwa. "An Assessment of Forage Selection by Giraffe Introduced into Umfurudzi Park, Northern Zimbabwe." Scientifica 2018 (July 24, 2018): 1–5. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/9062868.
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Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) is one of the flagship herbivore species in the savanna ecosystem and is of high conservation value. Management of the species under diversified ecosystems, particularly, their introduction in new ecosystems is of great concern, given that limited information is available of how the species acclimatizes to new ecosystems and which forage species it selects. The objectives of the present study were to (i) identify woody plant species selected by the recently introduced giraffes and (ii) determine whether there were differences in woody plant diversity between the dry and wet seasons in Umfurudzi Park, northern Zimbabwe. Forage selection and woody composition data were collected from a herd of giraffe between May and December 2016, using the focal observation method in an enclosure within the study area. A total of 106 observation plots were established. Our results showed that 12 woody plant species comprising six families were selected from a total of 29 woody plant species recorded in the study area. Giraffe showed a higher preference of the selected species in the dry season than in the wet season. In contrast, no significant differences were recorded in terms of forage availability and woody vegetation diversity between seasons. In conclusion, our results suggest that plant phenology, particularly, presence of leaves on plants influences giraffe feed preferences. Establishing long-term monitoring plots to determine woody vegetation utilisation by giraffes is valuable as a way to monitoring habitat utilisation by the species.
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Thompson, Kimberly A., Ronan Eustace, Vengai Mavangira, Colleen Turner, and Colleen F. Monahan. "Left displacement of the abomasum in a reticulated giraffe bull in managed care." Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation 33, no. 5 (June 24, 2021): 1023–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10406387211027845.
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A 10-y-old giraffe ( Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata) bull developed colic after a 3-mo history of reduced feed consumption. Physical examination and management were performed with 2 standing sedations. The giraffe developed metabolic alkalosis and progressive pre-renal azotemia followed by compensatory respiratory acidosis and paradoxical aciduria. A metallic “ping” sound was auscultated on the left side near ribs 10–12. The giraffe was euthanized given the grave prognosis, and postmortem examination confirmed left displacement of the abomasum (LDA) with fluid sequestration (150–190 L [40–50 gal]) within the rumen. Dental disease was evident at postmortem examination and perimortem skull computed tomography. To ensure cases of LDA are not overlooked, the position of the abomasum must be noted during postmortem examination prior to removal of the gastrointestinal tract. The risk factors for the development of LDA in giraffes are not known, and associations such as those of dairy cattle (hypocalcemia, high-concentrate low-fiber diet, and indoor housing) remain to be elucidated.
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Booth, Demi, Amos Kamau, Henry Kayondo, Anna Mae Sumaya, and Muhammad Waseem Ashraf. "Training a Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata) for Voluntary Foot Radiographs at Dubai Safari Park." Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens 3, no. 4 (December 8, 2022): 688–98. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jzbg3040051.
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When 0.1 Reticulated Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata) began displaying signs of lameness and a persistent swelling of the front left pastern joint, an operant based training program was created for front foot radiographs to diagnose and better manage lameness. Using a protected contact set up, behaviour was shaped using a positive reinforcement procedure. A series of cued behaviors were trained and used to obtain dorsolateral palmar medial oblique front foot radiographs to aid vets in diagnosing the cause of lameness. By training giraffes for foot radiographs, potential causes of lameness could be identified and better managed. Long-term, the results may help zoos identify best practices for managing and preventing lameness in giraffe and subsequently improve welfare. Training animals to participate in their own medical care can improve welfare by giving them a sense of control within the situation. Training for medical procedures helps to reduce the stress imposed on the giraffe and the associated risks compared to alternative methods.
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Hart, Emma E., Julian Fennessy, Srivats Chari, and Simone Ciuti. "Habitat heterogeneity and social factors drive behavioral plasticity in giraffe herd-size dynamics." Journal of Mammalogy 101, no. 1 (December 5, 2019): 248–58. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyz191.
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Abstract Behavioral plasticity, or the mechanism by which an organism can adjust its behavior in response to exogenous change, has been highlighted as a potential buffer against extinction risk. Giraffes (Giraffa spp.) are gregarious, long-lived, highly mobile megaherbivores with a large brain size, characteristics that have been associated with high levels of behavioral plasticity. However, while there has been a recent focus on genotypic variability and morphological differences among giraffe populations, there has been relatively little discussion centered on behavioral flexibility within giraffe populations. In large wild herbivores, one measure of behavioral plasticity is the ability to adjust herd size in line with local environmental conditions. Here, we examine whether a genetically isolated population of Angolan giraffes (G. g. angolensis) in a heterogeneous environment adjust their herd sizes in line with spatiotemporal variation in habitat. Our results suggest that ecological factors play a role in driving herd size, but that social factors also shape and stabilize herd-size dynamics. Specifically, we found that 1) mixed-sex herds were larger than single-sex herds, suggesting that sexual composition of herds played a role in driving herd size; 2) the presence of young did not influence herd size, suggesting that giraffes did not make use of the dilution effect to safeguard their young from predation; and 3) there was a strong relationship between herd size and spatial, but not seasonal, variation in food biomass availability, suggesting stability in herd sizes over time, but temporary variation in line with resource availability. These findings indicate that giraffes adjust herd size in line with local exogenous factors, signaling high behavioral plasticity, but also suggest that this mechanism operates within the constraints of the social determinants of giraffe herd size.
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Yohe, Laurel R., and Nikos Solounias. "The five digits of the giraffe metatarsal." Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 131, no. 3 (October 12, 2020): 699–705. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/blaa136.
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Abstract Evolution has shaped the limbs of hoofed animals in specific ways. In artiodactyls, it is the common assumption that the metatarsal is composed of the fusion of digits III and IV, whereas the other three digits have been lost or are highly reduced. However, evidence from the fossil record and internal morphology of the metatarsal challenges these assumptions. Furthermore, only a few taxonomic groups have been analysed. In giraffes, we discovered that all five digits are present in the adult metatarsal and are highly fused and modified rather than lost. We examined high-resolution micro-computed tomography scans of the metatarsals of two mid and late Miocene giraffid fossils and the extant giraffe and okapi. In all the Giraffidae analysed, we found a combination of four morphologies: (1) four articular facets; (2) four or, in most cases, five separate medullary cavities internally; (3) a clear, small digit I; and (4) in the two fossil taxa of unknown genus, the presence of external elongated grooves where the fusions of digits II and V have taken place. Giraffa and Okapia, the extant Giraffidae, show a difference from all the extinct taxa in having more flattened digits tightly packed together, suggesting convergent highly fused digits despite divergent ecologies and locomotion. These discoveries provide evidence that enhances our understanding of how bones fuse and call into question current hypotheses of digit loss.
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Seeber, Peter A., Patrick Duncan, Hervé Fritz, and André Ganswindt. "Androgen changes and flexible rutting behaviour in male giraffes." Biology Letters 9, no. 5 (October 23, 2013): 20130396. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2013.0396.
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The social organization of giraffes ( Giraffa camelopardalis ) imposes a high-cost reproductive strategy on bulls, which adopt a ‘roving male’ tactic. Our observations on wild giraffes confirm that bulls indeed have unsynchronized rut-like periods, not unlike another tropical megaherbivore, the elephant, but on a much shorter timescale. We found profound changes in male sexual and social activities at the scale of about two weeks. This so far undescribed rutting behaviour is closely correlated with changes in androgen concentrations and appears to be driven by them. The short time scale of the changes in sexual and social activity may explain why dominance and reproductive status in male giraffe in the field seem to be unstable.
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Berland, Jody. "Attending the Giraffe." Humanimalia 9, no. 1 (September 22, 2017): 22–45. http://dx.doi.org/10.52537/humanimalia.9612.
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In this article I compare the story of the first contact tribute giraffe sent from Bengal to China in 1414 with the story of April, the famously web-cam pregnant giraffe of 2017. Both giraffes were transported by new technologies that brought together geographically dispersed people through a notable event. Both giraffes had to be conveyed from natural habitats into confinement, from distance into quasi-intimacy with European and global observers, from matriarchal family structure into an individual with a face that could at least hypothetically look back at its human viewer. The space between these two events has been marked by the emergence of a capitalist world order together with growing public anxiety about environmental risk. This shared precarity, commonly named the Anthropocene, is widely conceptualized as the result of human domination of and estrangement from nature. But the history of the giraffe reminds us that some people were estranged from nature, while others were defined by and exploited precisely because of their proximity to its resources. Each step of being made visible has relied on something else being made invisible.
The double act of foregrounding and disappearing has discursively shaped both our relations with animals and the visual aesthetics of modern culture. To borrow Marshall McLuhan’s well-known phrase, the medium is the message, and in this article, the medium is an animal. Two giraffes, two historical eras, two distinct sociopolitical and technological situations. Why giraffes, and what are they mediating?
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Veasey, J. S., N. K. Waran, and R. J. Young. "On Comparing the Behaviour of Zoo Housed Animals with Wild Conspecifics as a Welfare Indicator, Using The Giraffe (Giraffa Camelopardalis) as a Model." Animal Welfare 5, no. 2 (May 1996): 139–53. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0962728600018571.
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AbstractTo assess the validity of using wild behavioural data as a welfare indicator for zoo animals, the time budgets of 19 captive giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis), from four zoos were compared with the time budgets of wild giraffe from Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe. Differences were shown to exist between the behaviour of wild and captive giraffe. However, only the duration of lying differed significantly across zoos. Correlations demonstrated that both enclosure size and feed restriction affected the locomotor activity of giraffe. An attempt to quantify observer influence upon the behaviour of wild giraffe was made. Different methods of observation were shown to significantly affect the time budget established. The extent to which wild giraffe behaviour can be used as a welfare indicator for captive conspecifics is discussed, as are the problems inherent in such a study. The difficulties in constructing an alternative welfare measure using prevalence to veterinary problems, are briefly considered. Methods by which captive giraffe welfare can be improved are discussed, particularly concerning the provision of browse to allow more natural feeding patterns to be established.
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van der Walt, Marna S., Willem Daffue, Jacqueline Goedhals, Sean van der Merwe, and Francois Deacon. "The Rostral Epidural Rete Mirabile: Functional Significance in Blood Flow Regulatory Mechanisms in Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)." Anatomia 2, no. 2 (May 6, 2023): 138–55. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/anatomia2020013.
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The distinctive long neck of the giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) entails functional difficulties brought about by the extended distance between the heart and the head. Blood must be circulated over 2 m from the heart to the brain against gravitational force. The natural movement of the head to ground level would result in a large volume of blood moving toward the brain with the force of gravity. Large blood volumes also rush to the brain during bulls’ fighting (necking), rendering the giraffe susceptible to possible brain damage. The natural movement of the head from ground level to fully erect would result in blood moving away from the brain with gravitational force. The lack of blood perfusing the brain can cause fainting. The giraffe, however, suffers neither brain damage nor fainting. What adaptations do giraffes have to counteract these challenges? The aim of this study was to investigate the functionality of the rostral epidural rete mirabile situated just beneath the brain and its possible contribution to successful circulation in long-necked giraffes. The unique rostral epidural rete mirabile structure significantly contributes to counteract physiological challenges. Turns and bends characterize this structural arterial meshwork and subsequently an increased artery length through which blood flow must proceed before entrance into the brain, exerting resistance to blood racing to the brain when the head is lowered to the ground. The brain is supplied mainly by the maxillary artery through the carotid rete, with a rudimentary basilar artery not contributing to the brain’s blood supply. The resistance to blood flow due to the structure and position of the rostral epidural rete mirabile when the head is in the upright position is counteracted by the unique carotid-vertebral anastomosis allowing immediate cerebral blood supply. The rostral epidural rete mirabile structure in giraffes is an essential feature balancing physiological difficulties arising due to the extensive heart-to-head distance and might fulfill the same function in other long-necked artiodactyls.
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Dadone, Liza, Steve Foxworth, Robert Aruho, Amy Schilz, Andrea Joyet, Myra Barrett, Peter Morkel, Garrett Crooks, Julian Fennessy, and Matthew S. Johnston. "Foot shape and radiographs of free-ranging Nubian giraffe in Uganda." PLOS ONE 16, no. 12 (December 16, 2021): e0252929. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0252929.
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Foot health in zoo giraffe has been a topic of recent research, although little is known about the foot health of free-ranging giraffe. This study describes the foot shape and radiographic pathological changes in 27 young adult Nubian giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis camelopardalis) from a translocation in Uganda (August 2017). Giraffe feet were observed to have a concave sole, the hoof wall was longest by the toe tip, and the weight-bearing surface of the foot was primarily along the periphery of the foot including hoof wall, parts of the heel, and the edge of the sole. Radiographs showed that pedal osteitis and sesamoid bone cysts were relatively uncommon (3/24 giraffe with osteitis, 1/24 giraffe with sesamoid cysts), and that no giraffe in the study had P3 joint osteoarthritis, P3 rotation, or P3 fractures. Radiographs consistently demonstrated a positive palmar/plantar angle with the sole of the hoof thicker at the heel than by the toe tip, with the non weight-bearing palmar/plantar angle measuring 1.6°- 4.3°. This is the first systematic review of foot shape and radiographs in free-ranging giraffe and demonstrates a low prevalence of foot pathologies. This study suggests qualitative differences in foot shape, foot health, radiographic anatomy, and foot pathologies when comparing free-ranging and zoo giraffe. Further research is needed to identify why these differences occur and whether husbandry modifications could help improve zoo giraffe foot health and prevent associated lameness.
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Gašparová, Kateřina, Julian Fennessy, Abdoul Razack Moussa Zabeirou, Ali Laouel Abagana, Thomas Rabeil, and Karolína Brandlová. "Saving the Last West African Giraffe Population: A Review of Its Conservation Status and Management." Animals 14, no. 5 (February 23, 2024): 702. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ani14050702.
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The West African giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis peralta) was historically spread across much of the Sudano-Sahelian zone but is now restricted to Niger. Several factors resulted in their dramatic decline during the late 20th century. In 1996, only 49 individuals remained, concentrated in the ‘Giraffe Zone’. Conservation activities implemented by the Government of Niger, supported by local communities and NGOs, facilitated their population numbers to increase. This review summarizes past and present conservation activities and evaluates their impact to advise and prioritize future conservation actions for the West African giraffe. The long-term conservation of the West African giraffe is highly dependent on the local communities who live alongside them, as well as supplementary support from local and international partners. Recent conservation initiatives range from community-based monitoring to the fitting of GPS satellite tags to better understand their habitat use, spatial movements to expansion areas, and environmental education to the establishment of the first satellite population of West African giraffe in Gadabedji Biosphere Reserve, the latter serving as a flagship for the future restoration of large mammal populations in West Africa. The integration of modern technologies and methods will hopefully provide better-quality data, improved spatial analyses, and greater understanding of giraffe ecology to inform the long-term management of West African giraffe.
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Gunji, Megu, and Hideki Endo. "Functional cervicothoracic boundary modified by anatomical shifts in the neck of giraffes." Royal Society Open Science 3, no. 2 (February 2016): 150604. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.150604.
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Here we examined the kinematic function of the morpho- logically unique first thoracic vertebra in giraffes. The first thoracic vertebra of the giraffe displayed similar shape to the seventh cervical vertebra in general ruminants. The flexion experiment using giraffe carcasses demonstrated that the first thoracic vertebra exhibited a higher dorsoventral mobility than other thoracic vertebrae. Despite the presence of costovertebral joints, restriction in the intervertebral movement imposed by ribs is minimized around the first thoracic vertebra by subtle changes of the articular system between the vertebra and ribs. The attachment area of musculus longus colli , mainly responsible for ventral flexion of the neck, is partly shifted posteriorly in the giraffe so that the force generated by muscles is exerted on the cervical vertebrae and on the first thoracic vertebra. These anatomical modifications allow the first thoracic vertebra to adopt the kinematic function of a cervical vertebra in giraffes. The novel movable articulation in the thorax functions as a fulcrum of neck movement and results in a large displacement of reachable space in the cranial end of the neck. The unique first thoracic vertebra in giraffes provides higher flexibility to the neck and may provide advantages for high browsing and/or male competition behaviours specific to giraffes.
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Grasso, Chiara, Giorgia Poso, and Christian Lenzi. "Social network-proximity association: Preliminary evaluation of giraffe sociality in a zoo-housed group." Animal Behavior and Cognition 9, no. 1 (February 1, 2022): 80–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.26451/abc.09.01.07.2022.
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Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) are found in zoos all over the world. In recent years, numerous researchers have documented complex sociality in these mammals. They highlighted that giraffes have non-random preferences in their choices of social partners, which can depend on various factors such as age, sex, and kinship. One of the still little-known aspects is how the social structure of giraffes is formed in captivity. Moreover, the scientific literature about some aspects of the social structure of giraffes in captivity (i.e., proximity or affiliative interactions) is scarce. Our hypothesis was that there would be an association between the social network, based on affiliative reciprocal interactions, and physical proximity within a group of six giraffes (5 females and 1 male) living in a zoo. To test this hypothesis, in addition to the ethological observations, we also used a Geographical Information System (GIS) to study the position of the individuals within the daytime installation. Most of the giraffes had a high number of mutual dyadic interactions, which is connected to high group cohesion. Also, each individual actively selected social partners and formed non-random social bonds. Nevertheless, our hypothesis that there would be a social network–physical proximity association, was confirmed for one dyad and partially confirmed for the other two. The results of this study can be useful to increase the knowledge of giraffe sociality and to develop GIS as a new application in zoo studies.
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Roggenbuck, Michael, Cathrine Sauer, Morten Poulsen, Mads F. Bertelsen, and Søren J. Sørensen. "The giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) rumen microbiome." FEMS Microbiology Ecology 90, no. 1 (September 1, 2014): 237–46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1574-6941.12402.
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Fasoli, Sabrina, Giulia Andreani, Francesco Dondi, Enea Ferlizza, Elisa Bellei, and Gloria Isani. "Urinary Reference Values and First Insight into the Urinary Proteome of Captive Giraffes." Animals 10, no. 9 (September 19, 2020): 1696. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ani10091696.
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Urinalysis is widely recognized to be a useful tool in routine health investigations, since it can diagnose numerous pathologies. Considering the paucity of knowledge concerning giraffes, urine from 44 giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) (18 males and 26 females, from 3 months of age to 21 years of age) underwent routine urinalysis, 1D-electrophoresis, and protein identification using mass spectrometry, with the aim of identifying the urinary reference values and the urine proteome. The urine specific gravity (USG), urine total proteins (uTP), urine creatinine (uCr), and urine protein:creatinine ratio (UPC) reference values, reported as the median, and lower limit (LL) and upper limit (UL), were 1.030 (1006–1.049), 17.58 (4.54–35.31) mg/dL, 154.62 (39.59–357.95) mg/dL, and 0.11 (0.07–0.16), respectively. Mass spectrometry, together with electrophoresis, revealed a pattern of common urinary proteins; albumin, lysozyme C, and ubiquitin were the most represented proteins in the giraffe urine. It has been hypothesized that these proteins could act as a defense against microbes. Moreover, in giraffes, urinalysis could be a valid tool for gauging renal function and physiological status changes.
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Ciofolo, I. "West Africa's last giraffes: the conflict between development and conservation." Journal of Tropical Ecology 11, no. 4 (November 1995): 577–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0266467400009159.
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ABSTRACTThe distribution of the giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis peralta Thomas 1898) has greatly diminished in West Africa, and now the last remaining population, reduced to less than 100 individuals, is found in Niger. These giraffes of West Africa are seriously threatened by extensive deforestation and clearing of their habitat. They live peacefully with humans and cattle and participate in an essential way in the dynamics of vegetation. Their disappearance would represent another step towards the impoverishment of the inheritance of Africa, a process already too far advanced. To save them, a fundamental rethinking of the connection between the environment and development on the one hand, and on the responsibilities of rural communities for the management of their natural resources on the other, has to be undertaken.
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Danowitz, Melinda, Rebecca Domalski, and Nikos Solounias. "The cervical anatomy of Samotherium , an intermediate-necked giraffid." Royal Society Open Science 2, no. 11 (November 2015): 150521. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.150521.
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Giraffidae are represented by many extinct species. The only two extant taxa possess diametrically contrasting cervical morphology, as the okapi is short-necked and the giraffe is exceptionally long-necked. Samotherium major , known from the Late Miocene of Samos in Greece and other Eurasian localities, is a key extinct giraffid; it possesses cervical vertebrae that are intermediate in the evolutionary elongation of the neck. We describe detailed anatomical features of the cervicals of S. major , and compare these characteristics with the vertebrae of the two extant giraffid taxa. Based on qualitative morphological characters and a quantitative analysis of cervical dimensions, we find that the S. major neck is intermediate between that of the okapi and the giraffe. Specifically, the more cranial (C2–C3) vertebrae of S. major represent a mosaic of features shared either with the giraffe or with the okapi. The more caudal (C5–C7) S. major vertebrae, however, appear transitional between the two extant taxa, and hence are more unique. Notably, the C6 of S. major exhibits a partially excavated ventral lamina that is strong cranially but completely absent on the caudal half of the ventral vertebral body, features between those seen in the giraffe and the okapi. Comprehensive anatomical descriptions and measurements of the almost-complete cervical column reveal that S. major is a truly intermediate-necked giraffid. Reconstructions of the neck display our findings.
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Zhu, Chenglin, Sabrina Fasoli, Gloria Isani, and Luca Laghi. "First Insights into the Urinary Metabolome of Captive Giraffes by Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy." Metabolites 10, no. 4 (April 17, 2020): 157. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/metabo10040157.
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The urine from 35 giraffes was studied by untargeted 1H-NMR, with the purpose of obtaining, for the first time, a fingerprint of its metabolome. The metabolome, as downstream of the transcriptome and proteome, has been considered as the most representative approach to monitor the relationships between animal physiological features and environment. Thirty-nine molecules were unambiguously quantified, able to give information about diet, proteins digestion, energy generation, and gut-microbial co-metabolism. The samples collected allowed study of the effects of age and sex on the giraffe urinary metabolome. In addition, preliminary information about how sampling procedure and pregnancy could affect a giraffe’s urinary metabolome was obtained. Such work could trigger the setting up of methods to non-invasively study the health status of giraffes, which is utterly needed, considering that anesthetic-related complications make their immobilization a very risky practice.
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ENEVOLDSEN, Esther Magdalene Ellersgaard, Katrine MØLLER-LASSESEN, Ninna LARSEN, Oliver Emil Søndergård GERT, Rune HOLMEGARD, Stine Ellegård JENSEN, S. PAGH, et al. "The influence of feeding opportunities of six zoohoused Giraffa camelopardalis rothschild." Genetics & Biodiversity Journal 6, no. 2 (July 1, 2022): 103–26. http://dx.doi.org/10.46325/gabj.v6i2.261.
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Previous studies on captive giraffes have shown that an increase in foraging opportunities leads to reduced abnormal behaviour. This study evaluates the nocturnal behaviours of six captive giraffes, housed in Aalborg Zoo (N: 57.04°, E: 9.90°). The herd consists of one male giraffe (age 8), one male calf (age 1 ½), two femelle giraffe (age 7; 20) and two female calves (age 8 months; 2 years). The observations lasted eight nights and compared two observation periods (October and November) with different compositions of branches. The giraffes spent approximately 30% of their nocturnal activity on feeding behaviour. An increase in feeding behaviour was correlated with a decrease in oral stereotypy. It was observed that the type of branches influenced time spent on browsing as it was consumed at different rates. Further studies are required to clarify questions left in this study, such as studies with more observation days and known types of branches
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van der Walt, Marna Suzanne, Willem Daffue, Jacqueline Goedhals, Sean van der Merwe, and Francois Deacon. "A Preliminary Study on the Siphon Mechanism in Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)." Animals 12, no. 23 (November 29, 2022): 3348. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ani12233348.
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Adult giraffes reach heights of 4.5 m with a heart-to-head distance of over 2 m, making cranial blood supply challenging. Ultrasound confirmed that the giraffe jugular vein collapses during head movement from ground level to fully erect, negating the possibility of a siphon mechanism in the neck. We showed that a short-length siphon structure over a simulated head-to-heart distance for a giraffe significantly influences flow in a collapsible tube. The siphon structure is determined according to brain case measurements. The short-length siphon structure in a shorter-necked ostrich showed no significant increase in flow. The shorter head-to-heart distance might be the reason for the lack of effect in ostriches. A siphon mechanism situated in the cranium is certainly possible, with a significant effect exerted on the amount of pressure the heart must generate to allow adequate cranial blood perfusion in a long-necked giraffe. The study validated that a cranial-bound siphon structure can operate and will be of significant value for adequate cranial blood perfusion in long-necked species such as giraffes and might also have existed in extinct species of long-necked dinosaurs.
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Dmitrieva, Maria N. "POLITENESS AS A WAY TO ENCOURAGE CONVERSATION." German Philology at the St Petersburg State University 13 (2023): 228–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.21638/spbu33.2023.112.
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The empirical material is the novel of the German-speaking writer B. Schirmer Schlehweins Giraffe. The research focuses on speech strategies and tactics of politeness as one of the components of verbal communication addressed to the Giraffe. Recorded in a text, the model of verbal and non-verbal behavior of a person, the author, trying to encourage a conversation with an animal is analysed. The category of politeness, thus, appears in a single discursive space with the direction. The relevance of the study is explained by the communicative and pragmatic approach applied to the analysis of speech addressed to an animal. The narrator treats the animal with great care. He also asks various questions to the Giraffe as he believes the Giraffe is able to communicate. However, the author fails to establish communication. The Giraffe is silent. The narrator uses directive linguistic means in the colloquial style of speech: brief questions, accentual particles, lexical and syntactic repetitions, appeals to the Giraffe and so on. The author-narrator repeatedly corrects his verbal behavior, uses various strategies, but, eventually, comes to the conclusion, that the Giraffe is incoherent. Finding herself in a usual natural environment, the Giraffe unexpectedly reproduces a phrase which belongs to the group of precedent texts, to the surprise of the narrator. The narrator understands the reasons for the Giraffe’s persistent silence. The communicative strategy of the author-narrator changes, his speech becomes rude and impolite. Thus, the language material illustrates the widest spectrum of politeness pragmatics and deviations from this speech strategy.
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Burton, Adrian. "Giraffe, Giraffe, Camel!" Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 15, no. 10 (December 2017): 612. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/fee.1741.
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Gippoliti, Spartaco, Jan Robovský, and Francesco M. Angelici. "Taxonomy and Translocations of African Mammals: A Plea for a Cautionary Approach." Conservation 1, no. 2 (June 14, 2021): 121–38. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/conservation1020011.
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Ecotourism can fuel an important source of financial income for African countries and can therefore help biodiversity policies in the continent. Translocations can be a powerful tool to spread economic benefits among countries and communities; yet, to be positive for biodiversity conservation, they require a basic knowledge of conservation units through appropriate taxonomic research. This is not always the case, as taxonomy was considered an outdated discipline for almost a century, and some plurality in taxonomic approaches is incorrectly considered as a disadvantage for conservation work. As an example, diversity of the genus Giraffa and its recent taxonomic history illustrate the importance of such knowledge for a sound conservation policy that includes translocations. We argue that a fine-grained conservation perspective that prioritizes all remaining populations along the Nile Basin is needed. Translocations are important tools for giraffe diversity conservation, but more discussion is needed, especially for moving new giraffes to regions where the autochthonous taxa/populations are no longer existent. As the current discussion about the giraffe taxonomy is too focused on the number of giraffe species, we argue that the plurality of taxonomic and conservation approaches might be beneficial, i.e., for defining the number of units requiring separate management using a (majority) consensus across different concepts (e.g., MU—management unit, ESU—evolutionary significant unit, and ECU—elemental conservation unit). The taxonomically sensitive translocation policy/strategy would be important for the preservation of current diversity, while also supporting the ecological restoration of some regions within rewilding. A summary table of the main translocation operations of African mammals that have underlying problems is included. Therefore, we call for increased attention toward the taxonomy of African mammals not only as the basis for sound conservation but also as a further opportunity to enlarge the geographic scope of ecotourism in Africa.
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Borkowski, Rose, Scott Citino, Mitch Bush, Paul Wollenman, and Brenda Irvine. "Surgical Castration of Subadult Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)." Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 40, no. 4 (December 2009): 786–90. http://dx.doi.org/10.1638/2008-0112.1.
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Péron, Guillaume, Christophe Bonenfant, Roxanne Gagnon, and Cheryl T. Mabika. "The two oxpecker species reveal the role of movement rates and foraging intensity in species coexistence." Biology Letters 15, no. 10 (October 2019): 20190548. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2019.0548.
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The two Buphagus oxpecker species are specialized passerines that forage for ticks and other food particles on the body of ungulates in the African savannahs. One of their intriguing features is their ability to coexist despite sharing the same, specialized diet. Using co-occurrence data (photographs of giraffes with oxpeckers on them) and approximate Bayesian computing, we demonstrate that yellow-billed oxpeckers changed host faster than red-billed oxpeckers and appeared to displace red-billed oxpeckers from preferred giraffe body parts. Conversely, red-billed oxpeckers exhibited a fuller use of each host and displaced yellow-billed oxpeckers from distal giraffe body parts. These findings highlight that the partition of giraffe hosts in two separate niches was only part of the coexistence story in this species pair. More precisely, the oxpeckers shared the resource by exploiting it at different rates. They engaged in different trade-offs between giving-up density, patch discovery rate and competitor displacement ability. They illustrate the importance of the time frame of interactions.
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Pizzi, R., J. Cracknell, and L. Dalrymple. "Postmortem Evaluation of Left Flank Laparoscopic Access in an Adult Female Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)." Veterinary Medicine International 2010 (2010): 1–4. http://dx.doi.org/10.4061/2010/789465.
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There are still few reports of laparoscopy in megavertebrates. The giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) is the tallest land mammal, and the largest ruminant species. An 18-year-old multiparous female hybrid giraffe, weighing 650 kg, was euthanized for chronic health problems, and left flank laparoscopy was performed less than 30 minutes after death. Safe primary access was achieved under visualisation using an optical bladed trocar (Visiport Plus, Tyco healthcare UK Ltd) without prior abdominal insufflation. A left paralumbar fossa approach allowed access to the spleen, rumen, left kidney, and intestines, but did not allow access to the reproductive tract which in nongravid females is intrapelvic in nature.
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Hermes, Robert, Alexis Lecu, Romain Potier, Frank Goeritz, Jessica P. Rickard, Julia Bohner, Rudy Wedlarski, Jiri Hruby, and Thomas B. Hildebrandt. "Cryopreservation of Giraffe Epidydimal Spermatozoa Using Different Extenders and Cryoprotectants." Animals 12, no. 7 (March 29, 2022): 857. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ani12070857.
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Giraffe numbers have plummeted over the last 30 years by 30–40%. Thus, their conservation status has been raised from least concern to vulnerable. Efforts to manage in situ and ex situ populations are increasing. Assisted reproduction techniques (ART) such as sperm cryopreservation could help preserve the genetic diversity of giraffe subspecies and, when used for artificial inseminations, enhance genetic exchange between isolated populations. However, to date, the post-thaw motility of recovered sperm has been low and inconsistent. In this study, epididymal sperm collected from the testes of giraffes (n = 7) was frozen in three different extenders, namely, BotuCrio, Steridyl, and test egg yolk (TEY), each supplemented with one of two different cryoprotectants (5% glycerol or a mix of 1% glycerol and 4% methylformamide) and frozen over liquid nitrogen vapor. Across all three extenders, sperm showed significantly better post-thaw results when frozen with a mix of glycerol and methylformamide compared with glycerol alone. Sperm frozen with TEY and a mix of glycerol and methylformamide achieved superior post-thaw total and progressive sperm motility of 57 ± 3% and 45 ± 3%, respectively. These results show the benefit of using alternative cryoprotectants for freezing giraffe spermatozoa and could aid in the application of ARTs for giraffe subspecies or the closely related endangered Okapi.
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Danowitz, Melinda, Aleksandr Vasilyev, Victoria Kortlandt, and Nikos Solounias. "Fossil evidence and stages of elongation of the Giraffa camelopardalis neck." Royal Society Open Science 2, no. 10 (October 2015): 150393. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.150393.
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Several evolutionary theories have been proposed to explain the adaptation of the long giraffe neck; however, few studies examine the fossil cervical vertebrae. We incorporate extinct giraffids, and the okapi and giraffe cervical vertebral specimens in a comprehensive analysis of the anatomy and elongation of the neck. We establish and evaluate 20 character states that relate to general, cranial and caudal vertebral lengthening, and calculate a length-to-width ratio to measure the relative slenderness of the vertebrae. Our sample includes cervical vertebrae ( n =71) of 11 taxa representing all seven subfamilies. We also perform a computational comparison of the C3 of Samotherium and Giraffa camelopardalis , which demonstrates that cervical elongation occurs disproportionately along the cranial–caudal vertebral axis. Using the morphological characters and calculated ratios, we propose stages in cervical lengthening, which are supported by the mathematical transformations using fossil and extant specimens. We find that cervical elongation is anisometric and unexpectedly precedes Giraffidae. Within the family, cranial vertebral elongation is the first lengthening stage observed followed by caudal vertebral elongation, which accounts for the extremely long neck of the giraffe.
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Lee, DE, E. Fienieg, C. Van Oosterhout, Z. Muller, M. Strauss, KD Carter, CPJ Scheijen, and F. Deacon. "Giraffe translocation population viability analysis." Endangered Species Research 41 (February 27, 2020): 245–52. http://dx.doi.org/10.3354/esr01022.
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Most populations of giraffes have declined in recent decades, leading to the recent IUCN decision to upgrade the species to Vulnerable status, and some subspecies to Endangered. Translocations have been used as a conservation tool to re-introduce giraffes to previously occupied areas or establish new populations, but guidelines for founding populations are lacking. To provide general guidelines for translocation projects regarding feasibility, we simulated various scenarios of translocated giraffe populations to identify viable age and sex distributions of founding populations using population viability analysis (PVA) implemented in Vortex software. We explored the parameter space for demography and the genetic load, examining how variation in founding numbers and sex ratios affected 100 yr probability of population extinction and genetic diversity. We found that even very small numbers of founders (N ≤ 10 females) can appear to be successful in the first decades due to transient positive population growth, but with moderate population growth rate and moderate genetic load, long-term population viability (probability of extinction <0.01) was only achieved with ≥30 females and ≥3 males released. To maintain >95% genetic diversity of the source population in an isolated population, 50 females and 5 males are recommended to compose the founding population. Sensitivity analyses revealed first-year survival and reproductive rate were the simulation parameters with the greatest proportional influence on probability of extinction and genetic diversity. These simulations highlight important considerations for translocation success and data gaps including true genetic load in wild giraffe populations.
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Sauer, Cathrine, Marcus Clauss, Mads F. Bertelsen, Martin R. Weisbjerg, and Peter Lund. "Rumen content stratification in the giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)." Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology 203 (January 2017): 69–76. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpa.2016.08.033.
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Sasson‐Yenor, Jacinthe, and David M. Powell. "Assessment of contrafreeloading preferences in giraffe ( Giraffa camelopardalis )." Zoo Biology 38, no. 5 (August 20, 2019): 414–23. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/zoo.21513.
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O’Brien, Haley D., Paul M. Gignac, Tobin L. Hieronymus, and Lawrence M. Witmer. "A comparison of postnatal arterial patterns in a growth series of giraffe (Artiodactyla:Giraffa camelopardalis)." PeerJ 4 (February 16, 2016): e1696. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.1696.
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Nearly all living artiodactyls (even-toed ungulates) possess a derived cranial arterial pattern that is highly distinctive from most other mammals. Foremost among a suite of atypical arterial configurations is the functional and anatomical replacement of the internal carotid artery with an extensive, subdural arterial meshwork called the carotid rete. This interdigitating network branches from the maxillary artery and is housed within the cavernous venous sinus. As the cavernous sinus receives cooled blood draining from the nasal mucosa, heat rapidly dissipates across the high surface area of the rete to be carried away from the brain by the venous system. This combination yields one of the most effective mechanisms of selective brain cooling. Although arterial development begins from the same embryonic scaffolding typical of mammals, possession of a rete is typically accompanied by obliteration of the internal carotid artery. Among taxa with available ontogenetic data, the point at which the internal carotid obliterates is variable throughout development. In small-bodied artiodactyls, the internal carotid typically obliterates prior to parturition, but in larger species, the vessel may remain patent for several years. In this study, we use digital anatomical data collection methods to describe the cranial arterial patterns for a growth series of giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis), from parturition to senescence. Giraffes, in particular, have unique cardiovascular demands and adaptations owing to their exceptional body form and may not adhere to previously documented stages of cranial arterial development. We find the carotid arterial system to be conserved between developmental stages and that obliteration of the giraffe internal carotid artery occurs prior to parturition.
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Petersen, Karin K., Arne Hørlyck, Kristine H. Østergaard, Joergen Andresen, Torbjoern Broegger, Nini Skovgaard, Niklas Telinius, et al. "Protection against high intravascular pressure in giraffe legs." American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology 305, no. 9 (November 1, 2013): R1021—R1030. http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/ajpregu.00025.2013.
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The high blood pressure in giraffe leg arteries renders giraffes vulnerable to edema. We investigated in 11 giraffes whether large and small arteries in the legs and the tight fascia protect leg capillaries. Ultrasound imaging of foreleg arteries in anesthetized giraffes and ex vivo examination revealed abrupt thickening of the arterial wall and a reduction of its internal diameter just below the elbow. At and distal to this narrowing, the artery constricted spontaneously and in response to norepinephrine and intravascular pressure recordings revealed a dynamic, viscous pressure drop along the artery. Histology of the isolated median artery confirmed dense sympathetic innervation at the narrowing. Structure and contractility of small arteries from muscular beds in the leg and neck were compared. The arteries from the legs demonstrated an increased media thickness-to-lumen diameter ratio, increased media volume, and increased numbers of smooth muscle cells per segment length and furthermore, they contracted more strongly than arteries from the neck (500 ± 49 vs. 318 ± 43 mmHg; n = 6 legs and neck, respectively). Finally, the transient increase in interstitial fluid pressure following injection of saline was 5.5 ± 1.7 times larger ( n = 8) in the leg than in the neck. We conclude that 1) tissue compliance in the legs is low; 2) large arteries of the legs function as resistance arteries; and 3) structural adaptation of small muscle arteries allows them to develop an extraordinary tension. All three findings can contribute to protection of the capillaries in giraffe legs from a high arterial pressure.
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Hasoksuz, Mustafa, Konstantin Alekseev, Anastasia Vlasova, Xinsheng Zhang, David Spiro, Rebecca Halpin, Shiliang Wang, Elodie Ghedin, and Linda J. Saif. "Biologic, Antigenic, and Full-Length Genomic Characterization of a Bovine-Like Coronavirus Isolated from a Giraffe." Journal of Virology 81, no. 10 (March 7, 2007): 4981–90. http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/jvi.02361-06.
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ABSTRACT Coronaviruses (CoVs) possess large RNA genomes and exist as quasispecies, which increases the possibility of adaptive mutations and interspecies transmission. Recently, CoVs were recognized as important pathogens in captive wild ruminants. This is the first report of the isolation and detailed genetic, biologic, and antigenic characterization of a bovine-like CoV from a giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) in a wild-animal park in the United States. CoV particles were detected by immune electron microscopy in fecal samples from three giraffes with mild-to-severe diarrhea. From one of the three giraffe samples, a CoV (GiCoV-OH3) was isolated and successfully adapted to serial passage in human rectal tumor 18 cell cultures. Hemagglutination assays, receptor-destroying enzyme activity, hemagglutination inhibition, and fluorescence focus neutralization tests revealed close biological and antigenic relationships between the GiCoV-OH3 isolate and selected respiratory and enteric bovine CoV (BCoV) strains. When orally inoculated into a BCoV-seronegative gnotobiotic calf, GiCoV-OH3 caused severe diarrhea and virus shedding within 2 to 3 days. Sequence comparisons and phylogenetic analyses were performed to assess its genetic relatedness to other CoVs. Molecular characterization confirmed that the new isolate belongs to group 2a of the mammalian CoVs and revealed closer genetic relatedness between GiCoV-OH3 and the enteric BCoVs BCoV-ENT and BCoV-DB2, whereas BCoV-Mebus was more distantly related. Detailed sequence analysis of the GiCoV-OH3 spike gene demonstrated the presence of a deletion in the variable region of the S1 subunit (from amino acid 543 to amino acid 547), which is a region associated with pathogenicity and tissue tropism for other CoVs. The point mutations identified in the structural proteins (by comparing GiCoV-OH3, BCoV-ENT, BCoV-DB2, and BCoV-Mebus) were most conserved among GiCoV-OH3, BCoV-ENT, and BCoV-DB2, whereas most of the point mutations in the nonstructural proteins were unique to GiCoV-OH3. Our results confirm the existence of a bovine-like CoV transmissible to cattle from wild ruminants, namely, giraffes, but with certain genetic properties different from those of BCoVs.
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Hoffman, Louwrens Christiaan, Bianca L. Silberbauer, Tersia Needham, Daniel Bureš, Radim Kotrba, and Philip E. Strydom. "The Effect of Sex on the Chemical and Mineral Composition of the Meat, Bone and Liver of Giraffe (Giraffa giraffa angolensis)." Foods 13, no. 3 (January 25, 2024): 394. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/foods13030394.
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Consumers tend to buy meat based on visual physical characteristics, which are affected by the chemical composition of the meat, and there is very little known about the chemical composition of the meat of giraffe. This study therefore aims to broaden the knowledge base on the chemical composition of giraffe meat, rib bone and liver. Eight different muscles from 15 giraffes were analyzed to determine the chemical composition, yielding an average moisture of 77.2 ± 0.09 g/100 g meat, an average protein of 20.8 ± 0.09 g/100 g meat, an average intramuscular fat (IMF) of 1.4 ± 0.03 g/100 g meat and an average ash of 1.1 ± 0.01 g/100 g meat. There was a significant interaction between sex and muscle for the moisture, protein and ash contents, while only muscle had an effect on the fat content. The mineral content of the bone, liver and Longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle was also analyzed, and bone was found to be a rich source of calcium (highest concentration), whilst the liver had the highest concentration of iron. The chemical composition of the giraffe meat was such that it could be classified as lean meat.
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Natterson-Horowitz, Barbara, Basil M. Baccouche, Jennifer Mary Head, Tejas Shivkumar, Mads Frost Bertelsen, Christian Aalkjær, Morten H. Smerup, Olujimi A. Ajijola, Joseph Hadaya, and Tobias Wang. "Did giraffe cardiovascular evolution solve the problem of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction?" Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health 9, no. 1 (January 1, 2021): 248–55. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/emph/eoab016.
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Abstract The evolved adaptations of other species can be a source of insight for novel biomedical innovation. Limitations of traditional animal models for the study of some pathologies are fueling efforts to find new approaches to biomedical investigation. One emerging approach recognizes the evolved adaptations in other species as possible solutions to human pathology. The giraffe heart, for example, appears resistant to pathology related to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF)—a leading form of hypertension-associated cardiovascular disease in humans. Here, we postulate that the physiological pressure-induced left ventricular thickening in giraffes does not result in the pathological cardiovascular changes observed in humans with hypertension. The mechanisms underlying this cardiovascular adaptation to high blood pressure in the giraffe may be a bioinspired roadmap for preventive and therapeutic strategies for human HFpEF.
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Patel, Freisha, Françoise Wemelsfelder, and Samantha J. Ward. "Using Qualitative Behaviour Assessment to Investigate Human-Animal Relationships in Zoo-Housed Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis)." Animals 9, no. 6 (June 21, 2019): 381. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ani9060381.
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Human-Animal Relationships (HAR) in zoos develop from repeated interactions between animals and their caretakers. HAR have been shown to affect health and welfare in farm animals, but limited zoo-based studies exist. This study investigates the association between the qualitative behaviour assessment (QBA) of emotional expression in giraffes and keeper action score in four types of keeper-animal interaction (KAI). Three giraffes generating 38 clips. QBA, using a free-choice profiling methodology, was applied instructing 18 observers to assess giraffe expressions shown in these clips. QBA scores were analysed using Generalized Procrustes Analysis. Keeper actions during each KAI event were rated by an independent marker, resulting in cumulative scores for keeper action quality. The association between QBA and the keeper action was analyzed using Spearman’s rank correlations. Two main QBA dimensions were identified explaining 59% of the variation between clips. There were significant effects of giraffe and KAI type on QBA dimension 2 (inquisitive/impatient—calm/distracted), and significant positive associations between keeper action quality rating and QBA dimensions 1 and 2, indicating that positive keeper actions resulted in calm and confident giraffes with a willingness to interact. This is the first successful application of QBA for empirically addressing HARs in zoos, however given the small sample size of giraffes in this study, it can be regarded as a pilot study only, and further research is needed to validate the use of QBA in this context.
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Bond, M. L., D. E. Lee, D. R. Farine, A. Ozgul, and B. König. "Sociability increases survival of adult female giraffes." Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 288, no. 1944 (February 10, 2021): 20202770. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2020.2770.
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Studies increasingly show that social connectedness plays a key role in determining survival, in addition to natural and anthropogenic environmental factors. Few studies, however, integrated social, non-social and demographic data to elucidate what components of an animal's socio-ecological environment are most important to their survival. Female giraffes ( Giraffa camelopardalis ) form structured societies with highly dynamic group membership but stable long-term associations. We examined the relative contributions of sociability (relationship strength, gregariousness and betweenness), together with those of the natural (food sources and vegetation types) and anthropogenic environment (distance from human settlements), to adult female giraffe survival. We tested predictions about the influence of sociability and natural and human factors at two social levels: the individual and the social community. Survival was primarily driven by individual- rather than community-level social factors. Gregariousness (the number of other females each individual was observed with on average) was most important in explaining variation in female adult survival, more than other social traits and any natural or anthropogenic environmental factors. For adult female giraffes, grouping with more other females, even as group membership frequently changes, is correlated with better survival, and this sociability appears to be more important than several attributes of their non-social environment.
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Fasoli, Sabrina, Enea Ferlizza, Giulia Andreani, Camillo Sandri, Francesco Dondi, and Gloria Isani. "Noninvasive sampling method for urinalysis and urine protein profile in captive giraffes." Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation 33, no. 1 (November 26, 2020): 25–34. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1040638720975370.
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Urinalysis could be helpful to investigate the health status of giraffes held in captivity using noninvasive methods to avoid animal handling or anesthesia. We collected 52 voided urine samples from 20 giraffes of different ages, sexes, and subspecies from the ground. To evaluate potential interference by soil contaminants, a pilot study was performed using 20 urine samples obtained from 10 cows. All bovine and 29 giraffe samples were subjected to routine urinalysis including urine specific gravity (USG). All samples were analyzed for urine total protein (uTP), urine creatinine (uCrea) concentration, and urine protein-to-urine creatinine ratio (UPC). Urinary proteins were separated by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis. No significant differences were determined between free-catch and urine sampled from the ground in cows. Giraffe urine was pale-yellow, with alkaline pH (>8.0) and a mean USG of 1.035 ± 0.013. The uTP, uCrea, and UPC expressed as median (range) were 0.20 (0.08–0.47) g/L, 2.36 (0.62–5.2) g/L, and 0.08 (0.05–0.15), respectively. SDS-PAGE allowed the separation of protein bands with different molecular masses, including putative uromodulin at 90 kD, putative albumin at 64 kD, and putative immunoglobulin heavy and light chains at 49 kD and 25 kD, respectively. Urine collection from the ground appears to be a reliable technique for urinalysis and urine electrophoresis in giraffes.
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Strauss, Megan K. L., and Craig Packer. "Did the elephant and giraffe mediate change in the prevalence of palatable species in an East African Acacia woodland?" Journal of Tropical Ecology 31, no. 1 (December 8, 2014): 1–12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0266467414000625.
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Abstract:We report on a 2009 survey of Acacia woodlands in the Seronera area of central Serengeti, Tanzania, and compare the results to previous surveys from the 1970s–1980s. We document a substantial change in woodland structure and composition. From 1978 to 2009, woody plant density (mean ± SD) declined from 255 ± 35 trees ha−1 to 147 ± 14 trees ha−1. Canopy cover declined from 15.1 ± 1.9% to 5.7 ± 0.6%. Canopy volume declined from 1810 ± 207 m3 ha−1 to 1410 ± 121 m3 ha−1. A 19% increase in the relative canopy volume of Acacia robusta, a species avoided by the giraffe, represents a sharp decline in the quality of the giraffe's food supply, which was last comprehensively assessed in 1978. We examine these changes in the context of Pellew's 1983 woodland dynamics model describing the impacts of elephant, giraffe and fire on an Acacia tortilis tree population and determine that our data are qualitatively consistent with this model. We hypothesize that selective elephant and giraffe browsing has contributed to an increase in the relative dominance of unpalatable species, consistent with Pellew's predictions.
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van der Walt, Marna S., Willem Daffue, Jacqueline Goedhals, Corna Serfontein, and Francois Deacon. "A Preliminary Study on the Functionality of the Carotid-Vertebral Anastomotic Artery in the Regulation of Blood Flow in the Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) by Duplex Ultrasound Examination." International Journal of Zoology 2023 (February 27, 2023): 1–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2023/8395360.
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Postural change intermittently between upright and head down in giraffes standing at a height of 4.5 meters is of physiological significance. The length of a giraffe’s neck denotes the flow of blood against the force of gravity, to supply the brain over a 2 m distance. The force of gravity also affects the flow of blood toward the brain, with a posture change from erect to ground level. How do these changes in stance not result in fainting when the head is raised and brain damage when the head is lowered? Giraffe has an advanced interconnection of the common carotid artery and the vertebral artery. The connection is located at the midpoint of the atlas, as indicated by means of computerized tomography and dissection. Duplex ultrasound with Doppler waveform examination showed the unidirectional movement of blood with movement from the vertebral artery into the common carotid artery when the head is erect. The direction of flow allows the provision of blood to the maxillary artery that feeds the rostral epidural rete that supplies to the brain. The flow direction in the carotid-vertebral connection changes when blood moves in the direction of the head along with the force of gravity, when the head is lowered. The rerouting of blood to move from the common carotid into the vertebral artery prevents brain damage. We have confirmed, by utilizing a CT scan, Doppler sonar, and dissection of latex-filled arteries, the existence and blood flow direction within the anastomotic artery associated with variation in posture in the giraffe.