Among the external parasites, there are about 15 types of ticks and fly larvae. External and internal parasites cause them various diseases which affect their quality of life, further reducing their short life expectancy. Small creatures also cause problems to giraffes. They also try to attack when they are drinking so that their necks are at ground level. When attacking, predators try to get the legs of the giraffes tangled up so that they fall to the ground. Lions and leopards usually choke their prey by the throat and crocodiles perform their “twist of death” to kill them almost instantaneously, but hyenas and wild dogs usually begin to eat before the giraffe is dead. Leopards, hyenas, and wild dogs are other predatory carnivores that are a serious threat to giraffes, especially for newborns or very young who do not have the height, size, strength and experience needed to defend themselves.

Due to their height and their good vision, they warn other species of approaching danger, so animals like zebras and ostriches can also escape. Giraffes are the sentinels of the herbivorous species of wild Africa. That makes it one of the highest mortality rates among animals out there. The mothers strive to keep their young close to them but young giraffes are curious by nature, and that can cause them to end up being victims.Īpproximately 75% of all young giraffes don’t survive to adulthood due to becoming the victim of predators. That makes them an easy target for a variety of predators including wild dogs, hyenas, leopards, and of course lions. The offspring, on the other hand, are always in danger but can camouflage in the vegetation and they grow very fast reaching soon twice the size of birth, which reduces the chance of being targeted by predators.īaby giraffes need a lot of rest during the first couple of weeks of life, and they do this lying down. If a giraffe ends up kicking a predator, it can be severely injured or killed so not so many predators dare to attack a giraffe unless they find a young or they are desperate for a meal, to the extent of risking their lives on it. They have an excellent vision that allows them to react in time. They are fast runners, so they are not easy to catch.Ĥ. They give deadly kicks, which more predators fear.ģ. Healthy adults are less vulnerable to being killed by predators due to four important aspects:Ģ. To avoid such acts, giraffes always take turns drinking water while others watch around them. On the aquatic side, crocodiles try to catch them in that situation, since with a single bite they unbalance them forward to fall into the water. During this activity, the neck is near the ground so cats can attack them there. These big cats attack from behind, riding on the back of the giraffe and causing wounds with their fangs and claws to weaken them, while others try to bite the legs to knock them down and reach their neck, the key area to kill them.Īn ideal time for predators who want to catch a giraffe is when they drink water from rivers and streams. When the predators a herd of lions, there is not much probability that one will come out alive no matter how big it may be. They also target pregnant females that are ready to give birth so they can’t move as swiftly. The only significant predators of giraffes are lions, and they will look for the young and the weak giraffes first. Besides they also have an excellent sight so they can be long gone before a predator can get too close to them. Giraffes may look peaceful, but they are not an easy prey. It is not easy catching an adult giraffe, so it is more common that wounded or offspring become the center of attention as long as the mother is distracted. They are a target only when another less dangerous prey is not available.

The impact of a single kick in the head or a sensitive part of a predator is enough to kill it, but the experienced predators are extremely cautious, and therefore know the exact moment to attack.īecause of this, giraffes are not the first choice of African carnivores when they are looking for food. These are their primary and most powerful weapons that save them from death. Giraffes protect themselves from intruders with their legs. Giraffes have no claws, sharp tusks or pointed antlers to protect themselves, but any animal that lives in the wild in such conditions have adaptations that allow them to survive. Living in the African savannah surrounded by expert carnivorous hunters is a game of chance where anyone could loose.

Giraffe predators and prey