| Maasai Giraffe | |
|---|---|
| Adult female, Mikumi National Park, Tanzania | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Family: | Giraffidae |
| Genus: | Giraffa |
| Species: | G. camelopardalis |
| Subspecies: | G. c. tippelskirchi |
| Trinomial name | |
| Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi Matschie, 1898 |
|
| Maasai Giraffe range | |
The Masai Giraffe or Maasai Giraffe, also known as the Kilimanjaro Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) is the largest subspecies of giraffe and the tallest land mammal. It is found in Kenya and Tanzania.
The Masai Giraffe has jagged spots on its body. It also has a short tassel of hair on its tail. The bony outgrowths of the male's skull superficially provide the appearance of up to 5 ossicones. The dominant male's spots tend to be darker in colour than those of other members of its herd.
Adult males usually reach around 6 m in height—although they have been recorded at reaching heights of up to approximately 6.5 m—and females tend to be a bit shorter at around 5–5.5 m tall. Their legs and necks are both approximately 2 m long, and their heart has a mass of roughly 12 kg (25 lb).
There is no seasonal breeding season for the Maasai Giraffe, and females can get pregnant from the age of 4. They also give birth standing up. It takes 2–6 hours for a giraffe to be born. About 50–75% of the calves die in their first few months due to predation. Even though many calves die, the mother will try to stab predators such as hyenas or lions with its sharp hooves. This action may injure or kill a predator quickly; the Maasai Giraffe's kick is strong enough to crush a lion's skull or shatter its spine.