Giraffe

Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)   

The giraffe is the tallest animal on earth.  Bulls on average are about 5m high and cows average 4.5m.  

A large bull can weigh about 1400kg, that is about 300kg heavier than a black rhino bull.

Being so tall they browse on the top leaves of trees.  They have very long tongues that they use to pull the leaves and twigs into their mouths.  Interesting enough, as tall as they are they only have seven neck vertebrae, the same amount as you and I.  They have one of the largest hearts and very high blood pressure to be able to pump their blood up that long neck to their brain.  Even if they have the very high blood pressure in their body they have a normal blood pressure at the brain.  This is accomplished by a fine network of blood vessels known as a "rete mirabile" blow the brain.  This system acts as a buffer between the body and the brain.  When they go down to drink water, this same system prevents the blood from rushing down to their brain killing them.

When a cow gives birth to her calf she do not lie down.  She stays up and just bend her hind legs a bit.  The calf would then fall a meter or two to the ground but would be up in about a hour drinking from his mom.

Humans and lions are just about the only enemy of the giraffe.  They use their legs to defend themselves and have already killed lions with a well aimed kick from those powerful hind legs.  They are most vulnerable when they are bending down to drink water and that's normally when lions attack them.