girrafe Life

Unknown nomadic males may stimulate serious fighting with sledgehammer blows being exchanged, using the side of the head. Dominant males father most of the young. Males become sexually mature at about 42 months but seldom have a chance to breed until 8 or more years old. Females first conceive in their fifth year of age. Gestation is about 15 months. Calves are born in special calving grounds from a standing female, thus dropping some 6 feet to the ground. Birth weight is 100-150 pounds; height is 6 feet. They can stand on wobbly legs about five minutes after birth and begin to feed about 20 minutes later. Groups of calves may be found together waiting for their mothers to come by to nurse. Offspring begin browsing in their first month and are rarely observed to suckle after they start eating leaves. First year calf mortality is about 58%. Lions are the major predator, but calves may be taken by hyenas, leopards and African wild dogs. Life expectancy is 25 years.