The Masai giraffe (''Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi'' or ''Giraffa tippelskirchi''), also spelled Maasai giraffe, and sometimes called Kilimanjaro giraffe, is a subspecies or species of giraffe. It is native to East Africa. The Masai giraffe can be found in central and southern

Kenya ) , national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi ...

and in

Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands ...

. It has distinctive, irregular, jagged, star-like blotches that extend from the hooves to its head. The Masai giraffe is currently the national animal of Tanzania.

Taxonomy

The IUCN currently recognizes only one species of giraffe with nine subspecies The Masai giraffe was described and given the binomial name ''Giraffa tippelskirchi'' by German

zoologist Zoology ()The pronunciation of zoology as is usually regarded as nonstandard, though it is not uncommon. is the branch of biology that studies the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and d ...

Paul Matschie Paul Matschie Paul Matschie (11 August 1861, Brandenburg an der Havel – 7 March 1926, Friedenau) was a German zoologist. He studied mathematics and natural sciences at the Universities of Halle and Berlin, afterwards working as an unpaid v ...

in 1898, but current taxonomy refers to Masai giraffe as ''Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi''. The Masai giraffe was named in honor of Herr von Tippelskirch, who was a member of a German scientific expedition in German East Africa to what is now northern Tanzania in 1896. Tippelskirch brought back the skin of a female Masai giraffe from near

Lake Eyasi Lake Eyasi (formerly german: Njarasasee, "Njarasa Lake", and ''Hohenlohesee'', "Hohenlohe Lake") is a lake located in Karatu District of Arusha Region in north Tanzania. Lake Eyasi is the largest body of water in Arusha region. It is a seasonal ...

which was later on identified as ''Giraffa tippelskirchi''. Alternative taxonomic hypotheses have proposed Masai giraffe may be its own species.

Description

The Masai giraffe is distinguished by jagged and irregular spots on its body. Its geographic range includes various parts of eastern Africa. It is the largest-bodied giraffe species, making it the tallest land animal on Earth. Bulls are generally larger and heavier than cows, weighing close to 1,300 kilograms (2,900 pounds) and growing up to 5.5 meters (18 feet) in height. In the wild, individuals can live to be around 30 years of age, and in most cases can live longer in captivity. The Masai giraffe's most famous feature, its neck, contains seven

vertebrae The spinal column, a defining synapomorphy shared by nearly all vertebrates, Hagfish are believed to have secondarily lost their spinal column is a moderately flexible series of vertebrae (singular vertebra), each constituting a characteristi ...

and makes up roughly one third of its body height. Its long and muscular tongue, which can be up to 50 centimeters (20 inches) in length, is prehensile and allows it to grab leaves from tall trees that are inaccessible to other animals. The tongue's darker pigment is believed to function as a natural sunscreen and prevent sunburn. On top of the head are two bony structures called ossicones which are covered by thick skin and have dark hair on the tips. These can be used during fights to club its opponent. Bulls usually have an extra ossicone present between the eyes. When galloping the Masai giraffe has been recorded to reach speeds of almost 64 kilometers per hour (40 miles per hour).

Conservation

Masai giraffes are considered

endangered An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and in ...

by the IUCN, and the Masai giraffe population declined 52% in recent decades due to poaching and habitat loss. The population amounts to 32,550 in the wild. Demographic studies of wild giraffes living inside and outside protected areas suggest low adult survival outside protected areas due to poaching and low calf survival inside protected areas due to predation; these are the primary influences on population growth rates. Survival of giraffe calves is influenced by the season of birth and the seasonal local presence or absence of long-distance migratory herds of wildebeest and zebra. Metapopulation analysis indicated protected areas were important for keeping giraffes in the larger landscape. ''In situ'' conservation of Masai giraffes is being done by several government agencies, including the

Kenya Wildlife Service Kenya Wildlife Service is a state corporation under the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife established by an act of Parliament; Wildlife Conservation and Management Act CAP 376, of 1989, now repealed and replaced by the Wildlife Conservation and Ma ...

, Tanzania National Parks, Zambia Wildlife Authority; and non-governmental organizations including PAMS Foundation and th
Wild Nature Institute
Community-based wildlife conservation areas have also been shown to be effective at protecting giraffes. Over 100 Masai giraffe live under human care in AZA accredited zoos in the United States. At several zoos, Masai giraffe cows have become pregnant and successfully given birth. Masai giraffes can suffer from giraffe skin disease, which is a disorder of unknown etiology that causes lesion on the forelimbs. This disorder is being further investigated to better understand mortality in this species.

Gallery

File:Masai Giraffe, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania (2010).jpg, Masai giraffe in

Serengeti National Park The Serengeti National Park is a large national park in northern Tanzania that stretches over . It is located entirely in eastern Mara Region and north east portion of Simiyu Region and contains over of virgin savanna. The park was established in ...

, Tanzania File:Maasai Giraffe 07.JPG, Detail of head, taken at Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden File:Giraffes Mikumi National Park.jpg, Two Masai giraffes in

Mikumi National Park Mikumi National Park is a national park near Morogoro, Tanzania with an area of that was established in 1964. It is the fourth largest in the country. The park is crossed by Tanzania's A-7 highway. Territory Mikumi National Park borders Selou ...

File:Young Maasai Giraffes.jpg, Two week-old Masai giraffes in Serengeti, Tanzania File:Giraffe close up.jpg, Close up of giraffe face in Masai Mara File:Maasai Giraffe in the plains of Maasai Mara.jpg, Maasai giraffe in the plain of Maasai Mara File:Male Maasai Giraffe.jpg, Male Maasai giraffe

References

External links