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Seeber, Peter A.; Ndlovu, Honestly T.; Duncan, Patrick and Ganswindt, André
(2012).
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2028.2011.01314.x
Abstract
The giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) is usually described as an exclusive browser, feeding only on shrubs and trees, preferrably between 2 and 5 m above ground (Lamprey, 1963; McNaughton & Georgiadis, 1986; Ciofolo & Le Pendu, 2002). Although browsing seems to be an easier form of feeding for giraffes in terms of accessibility and vigilance (Young & Isbell, 1991), a few studies mention that the giraffe also ‘very occasionally’ feeds on grass (Pienaar, 1963; Du Toit, 2005). To be able to graze, a giraffe has to adopt the typical ‘drinking position’, where the forelegs are splayed out laterally, and sometimes the carpal joints are also flexed. In this position, the animals are particularly vulnerable to predators (Périquet et al., 2010). In this note, we show that grazing, although not a core activity, is a recurrent event in a nutrient-poor environment such as Hwange National Park and suggest a possible function.
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About
- Item ORO ID
- 42730
- Item Type
- Journal Item
- ISSN
- 1365-2028
- Academic Unit or School
-
Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) > Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences
Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) - Copyright Holders
- © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd
- Depositing User
- Peter Seeber