Adaptations of Mom the Giraffe

• Neck: Giraffes use their long necks to reach for leaves high in trees. They only have seven vertebrae in their necks, the same as humans. Their neck has evolved over time in longer length

due to competition of food. • Legs: Their front legs are longer than their back legs, which

also helps them to reach the treetops.• Storage of Water: Living in a dry climate, giraffes have a hump

in their back like a camel to store water as they travel.

• Sleep: Giraffes sleep for about only 5-30 minutes in 1 day and only a few members of the herd sleep at a time. They have adapted over time to this due to the increase of death during

sleep. • Herds: Giraffes travel in herds because it rare that a lion will go after an adult giraffe when

not sleeping. They are hard to tell apart and will surround young to protect them. • Sounds: Make a variety of sounds, including moos, roars, snorts, hisses, and grunts. They

just very rarely do so. One sound giraffes make when they’re alarmed is a snort. These sounds help other herd members able to protect themselves.

Behavioral

Structural

Mammal

Adaptations Of Dad the Elephant

• Muscular trunk: serves as a nose, a hand, an extra foot, a signaling device and a tool for

gathering food, tap water, dusting, digging and a variety

of other functions.

• Ears: large ears to hear predators and to keep in heat

in colder temperatures and release heat in heat

• Body Covering: no fur, allowing the body to cool

quickly in warm temperatures

Structural Behavioral

Mammal

• Migration: African elephants usually migrate at the

beginning of the dry season, between June and November;

heading toward more hospitable locations near rivers and water sources that are not

prone to drying. • Travel in Herds: 8-100

elephants travel in a herd for protection and to help raise

young.• Communication: elephants

communication through sounds of their trunks,

pounding of their feet or spraying of water to allow the

herd to get food, water or protection from predators.

Elephant Habitat:

Sahara with forest inhabiting

western and

central regions of Africa and

Savanna Desert in Eastern and

Southern Africa

Giraffe Habitat: Sahara

Desert in Eastern and Southern

Africa. Open plains of the

African Savanna inhabiting western and central regions

of Africa

Mom’s and Dad’s Habitat

# Trait Giraffe Elephant

1 Body Type Tall and Thin Short and Stocky

2 Body Coat Spotted Fur Coat Solid Folded Rough Skin

3 Color Brown/Tan Gray

4 Feet Hoofed Feet (12 in) Elephant Feet

5 Teeth No Tusk Tusk

6 Tail 8 Foot 4 Foot

7 Eyes Large/ Side Small/ Side

8 Sex Female Male

9 Nose Giraffe Nose Trunk

10 Ears Little Ears Floppy Ears

11 Weight 1500-300 lbs 6000-15000lbs

12 Front Legs 8-10 feet 6 feet

13 Back Legs 8 feet 5 feet

14 Tongue 18 inches 6 inches

15 Skull Horn-Like Shape Honeycomb Shape

16. Neck Long Short

Parent’s Traits

Girelephant: AA Trunk

AaTrunk

AaTrunk

aaNo Trunk

AA Spots

AaSpots

AaSpots

aaNo Spots

AA Tall

AaTall

AaTall

aaShort

AA Short Neck

AaShort Neck

AaShort Neck

aaLong Neck

# Trait Homozygous

Dominant

AA

Heterozygous

Aa

Homozygous

Recessive

aa

1 Body Type Tall and Thin Tall and Thin Short and Stocky

2 Body Coat Spotted Fur Coat Spotted Fur Coat Solid Folded Rough Skin

3 Color Gray Gray Brown/Tan

4 Feet Elephant Feet Elephant Feet Hoofed Feet (12 in)

5 Teeth No Tusk No Tusk Tusk

6 Tail 4 Foot 4 Foot 8 Foot

7 Eyes Small/ Side Small/ Side Large/ Side

8 Sex Female Female Male

9 Nose Trunk Trunk Giraffe Nose

10 Ears Floppy Ears Floppy Ears Little Ears

11 Weight 1500-3000 lbs 1500-3000lbs 6000-15000lbs

12 Front Legs 8 feet 8 feet 6 feet

13 Back Legs 5 feet 5 feet 8 feet

14 Tongue 18 inches 18 inches 6 inches

15 Skull Honeycomb Shape Honeycomb Shape Horn-Like Shape

16. Neck Long Long Short

Offspring: A New Species Is BornGirelephant Genetics Trait Key

Adaptations and Evolution of the Calf

Habitat: The best climate for the Girelephant calf (Luther) is the desert in Africa.

Adaptations:• The short and stocky body and a spotted gray fur coat helps keep Luther warm and camouflaged at night in the cool desert. His long neck and legs help him see his predators from a far distance. His ears and eyes help him hear predators coming, allowing him to use his trunk to alert the other members of the herd. • Luther’s trunk also helps him bathe and drink water. His long tongue, neck and tusk help him have easy access to food low on the ground in a log or high up in the trees. The nice thing about Luther is that he can store water for weeks at a time, in his hump on his back (which he inherited from his mother) a crucial adaptation to have in the hot desert climate.

GIRELEPHANT RHINOSTER EAGOLF

COLD MILK

Hair

Live Birth

4 legsNo Wings

Trunk