How Often do Giraffes Drink?
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Having a drink of water tends to be somewhat challenging when you are over four metres (13 feet) tall. In order to get to the water giraffe have to spread their front legs at awkward angles, leaving them in a rather vulnerable position to predators such as lion.
Adult Giraffes only Need to Drink Water Once a Day
Giraffe have learnt to deal with this difficulty in various ways. Their need for water is reduced by the fact that they are able to obtain almost all they need from the plants they eat. An adult giraffe will only need to drink water once a day, whereas the more vulnerable younger giraffes are even more efficient at getting the water they need from their diet and often do not need to drink water at all. Giraffe do not sweat or pant like many other mammals, their body temperature fluctuates according to the surrounding temperatures this allows them to conserve water.
Did you capture a photograph of a giraffe during your stay at Kariega Private Game Reserve? We would love to see it. You can share it with us by posting it onto our Facebook page.
Photo courtesy Kariega photographic ranger Jacques Matthysen.
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