Giraffe males fight for mates through so-called neck fights. In addition, they lash out at each other with their long necks, which is sometimes accompanied by a lot of violence. A longer neck means more chance of winning a duel.
–
Scientists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences have studied fossils of the Discokeryx xiezhi. That ancestor of today’s giraffe was about the size of a large sheep.
–
The Discokeryx xiezhi is not considered a direct ancestor of the current giraffe, but more as a branch of the giraffe family. The animal lived about seventeen million years ago in northwestern China.
–
The researchers wondered why the early species had such a thick skull and such strong neck vertebrae. They now conclude that this had to do with a greater chance of winning neck fights. Moreover, they make the link with the long neck of the current giraffe.
–
Today’s giraffes living in Africa are the largest land animals in the world. Males can grow up to 5.5 meters and females up to almost 4.5 meters. The necks of the animals alone can reach about 6 feet (1.8 m) in length.
–Unfortunately this content cannot be displayedWe do not have permission for the necessary cookies. Please accept the cookies to view this content.
–