Some information about giraffes

_Elsa_

Tiffi takes out her phone and goes on the Internet. She tells Pan-Pan and Lin-Lin that she found out more information about giraffes. She remembers the title of the article so it doesn’t take her long to find it.

‘Sociable by nature, Giraffes live in loose groups but do not form permanent herds. Adult males, called bulls, have an identifiable pecking order that is established through a ritual of neck wrestling. Females, called cows, move in and out of various groups, and generally hang together more for the watchfulness of others against predators than for companionship. Giraffe very seldom graze, for the same reason that they take great precautions when drinking. Their necks, long as they are, are not long enough to reach the ground. Giraffes must spraddle their legs, or buckle them in a very ungainly manner in order to drink. They must be quite certain that there are no predators around before lowering themselves into such a vulnerable position. Their long necks offer an excellent field of view but they depend on the alarm of others when drinking. If they need to defend themselves, they can run 30 mph, with a stride speed of 25 or more feet.

Females bear one calf that will stay with the mother until the next calf is born, and will often hang out with them for the next year. The calf is about 6 feet tall at birth. The legs of adult giraffes are about 6 feet long to the belly (elbows and knees) so the calf must be that tall to reach the udder for its milk. The calf’s neck is quite short, relatively, but it elongates rather quickly over the calf’s first few months. Giraffe cows deliver standing up. The calf’s front toes appear first, the long legs following, with the neck and nose laid along those legs.

The calf may hang, suspended from the waist for what seems an interminably long time and then whoosh. The cow squats and the calf slips out and slams, splat on its side. The fall is actually only about 3 feet. The shock causes a sudden inhalation and breathing begins. The cow will lick the newborn and it soon raises its head on a wobbly neck. A normal calf stands within about 20 minutes and can run within hours. Giraffes were once thought to be mute, but they do make a soft lowing, especially when with the calf.’ (Source)

Let’s continue – Tiffi asks Elsa for some help

Start at the beginning - What are the giraffes trying to say?