Rothschild Giraffes In Fota Park In Cork
SORRY FOR THE DELAY
Fota Wildlife Park is home to a herd of Rothschild Giraffe, one of the nine subspecies found in Africa. Tallest of the land mammals, the species is often referred to as the ‘watchtowers of the Serengeti’ as it helps to alert other animals to the presence of predators up to two kilometres away.
Giraffes have the longest tail of any land mammal, growing to about 2.4 metres long (8 ft) including the tuft on the end, while its blue/black tongue is 17 inches long and prehensile, allowing the giraffe to grip branches with it.
The Rothschild Giraffe is taller than all other subspecies - males growing to six metres in height and weighing over 2000kg - but the animal does not have horns; instead, it has cartilage structures unattached to its skull called ossicones that are flat at birth and stand within a few days.
Their coat is a distinct mix of dark patches that are broken up by bright, cream channels, though there are no markings on its lower legs - a trait that is unique to this sub species.
Giraffes have the longest tail of any land mammal, growing to about 2.4 metres long (8 ft) including the tuft on the end, while its blue/black tongue is 17 inches long and prehensile, allowing the giraffe to grip branches with it.
The Rothschild Giraffe is taller than all other subspecies - males growing to six metres in height and weighing over 2000kg - but the animal does not have horns; instead, it has cartilage structures unattached to its skull called ossicones that are flat at birth and stand within a few days.
Their coat is a distinct mix of dark patches that are broken up by bright, cream channels, though there are no markings on its lower legs - a trait that is unique to this sub species.
THE PHOTO DIARY IS NOT LIMITED TO CORK AS I ONLY VISIT THE CITY ONCE EVERY YEAR AND 2020 MAY BE AN EXCEPTION. I AM BASED IN DUBLIN BUT DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS I VISIT BELFAST, LIMERICK, GALWAY, KILKENNY AND WATERFORD AND USUALLY DEVOTE A WEEK TO PHOTOGRAPHING EACH OF THE CITIES IN QUESTION
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