1. Fur Pattern
The giraffe's fur pattern is very unique. It falls under the category of physical adaptations and is essential to their survival. They use this fur pattern as a camouflage. Camouflage is a unique method of disguise. Many animals use it; the whole idea is to not draw attention to yourself. It also relates to their environment. As in the picture, you can see how the colors blend in with their natural habitat, the savanna.
2. Long Necks
Giraffes have extremely long necks, on average they measure about 2 meters long. This is a physical adaptation that relates to their environment and, in turn, survival. Their long necks provide them the advantage to feed on much of the trees that are sprinkled across the savannas. The trees found in their habitat do not have full, lush, or bowing branches. This means it is essential that they are able to reach the nutrition needed for their survival.
3. Crèche Groups or Calving Pools
After giraffe calves are 3 to 4 weeks old, females look for Crèche groups to join. Crèche is a synonym for daycare. These groups allow the rest of the mothers to drift away and feed during the day while one mother stays back and watches the group. This idea of a daycare is a behavioral adaptation that humans use too. This adaptation reflects the giraffe's natural social tendencies to group together, even at a young age. This also shows the giraffe's niche or role in their community. The giraffe mothers take turns watching over the young.
The (estimated) number of giraffes has dropped from 140,000 in 1999 to 80,000 in 2013. It is believed that poaching and the destruction of their habitats are the causes. Both of these are of human doing. Their unique fur is the reason they are poached and the Acacia tree's (whose leaves make up most of the giraffe diet) wood is extremely hardy and therefore is chopped down for building purposes. The fact that female giraffe only give birth to one calf every two years does not help their population grow.
Visual Representation
Let's say one tower of giraffes have 10 females and 10 males for a total of 20 giraffes. Each year the following three disasters kill one male each.
Let's say that each female is able to successfully raise a calf. Half of the calves are males and the other half are females. The females will wean from their mothers at 12 months of age, but stay with the herd, and start breeding at age five. The males will desert the group and form their own herd. Females will only have calves every two years. This is how this particular tower's population might look after a study for five years.
In Year 2, there are no babies born but the population only decreases 3. In year 3, the male population is extremely low. Only have of the females are physically mature enough to give birth. The population flourishes from the babies. In Year 4, all of the original males have died from the three disasters. A group of roaming bachelor giraffes see the herd of females and join. The population decreases again because no females have babies. In Year 5, the male population is low again but the half of the females that are physically mature give birth to 9 calves, accelerating the population.
As you can tell, this is just a simulation of what a giraffe tower's population. The fact that female giraffes only give birth to one calf every two years makes the population very different from one year to the next.
As you can tell, this is just a simulation of what a giraffe tower's population. The fact that female giraffes only give birth to one calf every two years makes the population very different from one year to the next.