west african giraffes
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As president of the Endangered Species Act I choose to first deal with saving the endangered West African Giraffes. West African Giraffes have not always been endangered, they first became endangered in the year 2008. This year there has been an amount of less than 200 West African giraffes left. What happened to the giraffes? What caused this sudden decrease in their population? How can we help to sustain their current population? Before discussing my proposal to helping the giraffes we will discuss the habitat in which they live. being attacked. Let's discuss some of the giraffes biggest predators. Lions are the West African giraffes biggest predators. The lions tend to attack the older and slower giraffes the opportunity they will attack the young giraffe. The crocodile is another predator. When giraffes drink water crocodiles can take the opportunity to grab them. Other predators include leopards, hyenas, and wild dogs. The calves are more vulnerable to all these predators and are often protected by the adults. Sadly , only a quarter of calves born will make it to adulthood. The giraffes are large animals and can be easily spotted. But their predators have to be careful. Giraffes can kick very hard to the point where they can crush the skull of their predators. Although giraffes have so many predators their self defense protects them well.
West African Giraffes or in scientific terms the Giraffa camelopardalis peralta, before World War l lived throughout all the savanna regions of West Africa, but due to the decrease in their population they are now limited to a small part of Niger. A savannah is a wide grassland that is scattered with African trees. Giraffes can weigh about 2,800 pounds and can grow from sixteen to nineteen feet tall. Their average lifespan is about twenty to twenty-five years old. Before they are born they are held for fifteen months in their mother’s womb. Giraffes are wild animals and don't live in a certain place. They often move to find food. Giraffes eat a variety of leaves but they enjoy the leaves from an Acacia tree the most. As for water, these animals take most of their water from the leaves they eat during the wet season. In the drier months of Africa, the giraffes drink a few times a week, drinking about 10 gallons of water each time. Giraffes move around and put themselves in danger of being attacked. Let's discuss some of the giraffes bodily features.
Giraffes are the only animals that have the longest necks. Although they have long necks they have the same number of vertebrae bones as a human neck. Having a long neck provides the giraffe with advantages. Since giraffes are herbivores they eat trees, the neck allows them to reach the leaves of tall African trees. The spots on West African Giraffes act as a good camouflage to protect the giraffe from predators. When the giraffe stands in front of trees and bushes the light and dark coloring of its fur blends in with the shadows and sunlight. Giraffes have bluish-purple tongues which are tough and covered in bristly hair to help them with eating the thorny Acacia trees. THe circulatory system has many adaptations for the giraffes size. The average giraffe heart weighs about 25 pounds. This pumps about double the blood a human needs. When a giraffe lowers his head, valves in it’s veins prevent the blood from flowing to the back of the brain. Giraffes have many adaptations that help them survive in their environment.
Humans play a huge role in the decrease of giraffes. Giraffes are a common target for local African villagers. Villagers see giraffes as a multipurpose animal. They can eat the meat and then use the rest of the body. Skin of the giraffe is used to make sandals, drums, and strings for musical instruments. The tail of giraffes are considered as good luck for Africans. They also use the hairs of the tail for fly swatters, bracelets, and necklaces. Giraffes have always been a animal that attracts hunters. In the 19th century, European explorers began to hunt the animals for sport. Now, the main thing humans do is destroy their habitat. In Africa, deforestation had occurred causing the trees that giraffes need to be cut down. This resulted in starvation and contributed to a sudden decrease in West African giraffes. Based on the above information it is clear to see humans play a huge role in the endangerment of these creatures. If something is not done soon there soon will be no more West African giraffes.
What can you, everyone else, and I do to prevent the complete extinction if the West African giraffes? First start by defending and helping the Endangered Species Act. Have your friends and family sign a petition to set up preserves to protect the giraffes. I plan to start a donation program in which people can send money to set up those preserves. The money donated may also be used to pay for geneticists to research and develop methods to modify or generate new traits through the use of chemicals, or radiation, to help the giraffes learn to adapt to their current environment. According to a news article, written by Pamela Owens, in Africa hunting giraffes is legal. This being legal causes many more giraffes to die each year. The hunters kill the giraffe and have taxidermists to work on the animals head to have it mounted in their home. Africans encourage hunting the giraffes, they offer a trophy of three thousand dollars. Making a petition to make hunting illegal is something that needs to be made. I plan to propose punishment for the hunting of these animals. In my opinion if a law is passed to make hunting illegal and hunting continues, the hunter should be charged a fine of five thousand dollars and put in jail for a month. These West African giraffes are in serious need of our help, will you help?
http://www.houstonzoo.org/meet-the-animals/giraffe-platform-cam/
CITED SOURCES
http://clashdaily.com/2015/04/dear-ricky-gervais-i-hunted-a-giraffe-heres-why-and-what-happened-afterwards/3/
http://biggamehuntingadventures.com/trophy-giraffe-hunting-in-south-africa/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2089806/The-giraffe-hunters-pay-10-000-shoot-gentle-giants-guns-bows-sport.html
http://www.giraffeworlds.com/giraffe-predators/
http://www.giraffeworlds.com/giraffes-and-humans/
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/west-african-giraffes-defy-extinction/
http://www.houstonzoo.org/meet-the-animals/giraffe-platform-cam/
http://biggamehuntingadventures.com/trophy-giraffe-hunting-in-south-africa/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2089806/The-giraffe-hunters-pay-10-000-shoot-gentle-giants-guns-bows-sport.html
http://www.giraffeworlds.com/giraffe-predators/
http://www.giraffeworlds.com/giraffes-and-humans/
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/west-african-giraffes-defy-extinction/
http://www.houstonzoo.org/meet-the-animals/giraffe-platform-cam/