The A - Z April Challenge: G

G is for Giraffe

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Giraffes delighted me in Africa. They were plentiful on the savannah, feeding on the leaves of tall acacia trees 

 that only they could reach. I loved their lanky gait, their  impressive height, and the slow way they moved from branch to branch, their eighteen-inch tongues delicately
able to avoid sharp spines and select only the most succulent leaves.

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The tallest land animal in
the world, male
 African Giraffes can be

up to 18 feet tall,

weigh 2000 lbs., and live

 for over twenty years.  

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East Africa is home to the Masai and the Rothschid varieties.
Each giraffe is covered with

a unique set of markings, while their

underbellies remain mostly white.

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Foraging in small groups, these beauties were always easy to spot, looming high out of the grass that other animals used for cover.They quickly became favourites that I never tired of watching...

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G is also for Gerenuk

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With its elegant long neck, sweet face and lovely long legs, the

dainty gerenuk is irresistible.

 These small creatures are able to feed on branches taller antelopes cannot reach because they stand upright on their hind legs to search out

the sweetest leaves.

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In this complex ecosystem, they've found a food source that offers no competition.
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Slight and shy, they are not particularly fast but are able to elude predators by maneuvering deftly through the bush. We saw few of them on our safari, but they were a true joy to observe when we did come across them.
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For more A - Z posts, be sure to pop by Arlee Bird's site and see what others have done with the letter G...
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.http://www.tossingitout.blogspot.com/2011/01/very-special-and-exciting