Giraffe Reproduction
The Giraffe breeding season can occur at any time during the year. However, births in the wild usually happen during the dry season and births in captivity can happen all year round. Giraffes reach sexual maturity in captivity at around 3 - 4 years old, however, in the wild, males do not usually breed until they are 6 - 7 years old. In contrast to the male breeding age, females must be physically larger to carry offspring.
When male giraffes are ready to breed, they begin the ritual combat over mates. Giraffes are non- territorial and a successful male giraffe will mate with receptive female giraffes whenever and wherever it finds them. Gestation period is usually 13 - 15 months and when a pregnant female giraffe is ready to give birth, she makes her way to a calving area that she will use throughout her life. The moment of birth is dramatic, with the mother giraffe standing on all fours and the calf tumbling onto the ground. Remarkably, the calf is rarely injured by its fall.
|
Newborn giraffes are often on their feet within 20 minutes and are soon feeding on their mothers milk. Calves can walk about an hour after birth and can run within 24 hours of birth.
Giraffe calves are about 2 metres (6 feet) tall at birth and weigh 104 - 154 pounds. Giraffe calves grow about 3 centimetres tall each day during the first week and double their height in their first year.
By the age of one year giraffe calves can measure 10 feet tall.
|
Giraffe calves are weaned at one year and become fully independent by 15 months of age. Female giraffe calves are fully grown by age five and male giraffe calves by the age of seven.
Young giraffes may suckle for up to a year, however, they start to sample plants just a few weeks after birth. Giraffe calves are ready to leave the protection of their mother after 15 - 18 months of development. Less than 50% of all baby giraffes survive the first year of life, due to predation from hyenas, leopards and wild dogs. As giraffes increase in age, their main predators become lions and humans.
