Ecological determinants of herd size in the Thornicroft’s giraffe of Zambia
Ecological factors have a pervasive impact on animal population sizes and the structure of their social systems. In a number of ungulate species, predator pressure exerts a major influence on group size. Given that giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) live in an extremely flexible social system, and that breeding is non-seasonal, they are an ideal species for […]
Ovarian Ultrasonography Correlated with Fecal Progestins and Estradiol During the Estrous Cycle and Early Pregnancy in Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi)
Fecal and urinary progestin analyses have shown that giraffes express a short reproductive cycle, averaging 15 days, compared with other large ruminants. However, actual ovarian events have not been correlated with the hormonal pattern. In this study, mature cycling female Rothschild giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi) were repeatedly examined by transrectal ultrasonography to correlate ovarian function […]
Ovarian and placental morphology and endocrine functions in the pregnant giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)
Gross, histological and immunocytochemical examinations carried out on maternal and fetal reproductive tissues from two pregnant giraffes at an estimated 8 and 13.5 months of gestation (term=15 months) revealed a typically ruminant macrocotyledonary placenta with binucleate trophoblast cells scattered sparsely in the placentome where they stained intensely with a prolactin antiserum. Binucleate cells were present […]
Giraffe birth locations in the South Luangwa National Park, Zambia: site fidelity or microhabitat selection?
Birth site location can have enormous implications for female reproductive success. Some ungulate species demonstrate consistent birth site fidelity, while others shift birth locations during their lifetimes as a function of ecological and social factors. We plotted 39 years of birth records from a wild population of Thornicroft’s giraffe, Giraffa camelopardalis thornicrofti, to test the […]
Gazing at a giraffe gyroscope: where are we going?
Giraffe are popular animals to watch while on wildlife safaris, and feature prominently in zoos, advertisements, toys and cartoons. Yet, until recently, few field studies have focused on giraffe. We introduce this giraffe topic issue with a review essay that explores five primary questions: How many (sub) species of giraffe exist? What are the dynamics […]
Androgen changes and flexible rutting behaviour in male giraffes
The social organization of giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) imposes a high-cost reproductive strategy on bulls, which adopt a ‘roving male’ tactic. Our observations on wild giraffes confirm that bulls indeed have unsynchronized rut-like periods, not unlike another tropical megaherbivore, the elephant, but on a much shorter timescale. We found profound changes in male sexual and social […]
Comparison of in vitro tests for evaluation of Passive Transfer of Immunoglobulins in giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)
Serum samples from captive giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) were tested to assess passive transfer of immunoglobulins using in vitro methods developed for domestic ruminants. Estimated immunoglobulin levels were compared using five tests (protein electrophoresis, total protein refractometry, zinc sulfate turbidity, glutaraldehyde coagulation, and sodium sulfite turbidity). A linear relationship was observed among total protein, gamma globulin […]
Hand-rearing Rothschild or Baringo giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi calves at Bioparc Valencia, Spain, and Leipzig Zoo, Germany
Hand-rearing giraffe calves is a challenging, time-consuming and labour-intensive process. There appears to be high individual variability among different calves. Different feeding schedules and milk substitutes have been used and are discussed. The use of whole cow’s milk is recommended and can be mixed with different supplements or calf milk replacers. The authors recommend weaning […]
Evaluation of Progesterone Levels in Feces of Captive Reticulated Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata)
Fresh fecal samples were collected from seven adult female reticulated giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata). Samples were collected for several weeks before, during, and for a few weeks after gestation. Fecal samples were analyzed for progesterone levels by radioimmunoassay. There were significant differences in progesterone levels between pregestational and gestational samples and between gestational and postgestational […]
Serum progesterone levels in captive giraffe
Serum progesterone values for giraffe had not been previously published in literature. In this abstract reference ranges are given based off serum progesterone values obtained from a 10 year old captive female giraffe.