Giraffe Traditional Cache

Who would have thought that one can in this day and age, go on a game drive on a public road in the close vicinity of Nelspruit and see everything from a slithering snake to a buffalo and even an elephant and some great views.  Best of all is, you don’t even have to pay to do so This can be done by driving the “Uitkyk” road.  It is advisable to start at the entrance on the N4 and work your way back towards Nelspruit.

Giraffe

This is the sixth cache in the “Uitkyk Game Drive Series. Please leave your car only when searching for the cache and constantly be on the lookout as there are dangerous animals in the area. Stay clear of the fence as the giraffe with its long neck is more than capable to take its prey across the fence. Enjoy your game drive and this unique caching experience where wildlife roam.

The giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) is an African even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest living terrestrial animal and the largest ruminant. Its species name refers to its camel-like shape and its leopard-like colouring. Its chief distinguishing characteristics are its extremely long neck and legs, its horn-like ossicones, and its distinctive coat patterns. It is classified under the family Giraffidae, along with its closest extant relative, the okapi. The nine subspecies are distinguished by their coat patterns.

The giraffe's scattered range extends from Chad in the north to South Africa in the south, and from Niger in the west to Somalia in the east. Giraffes usually inhabit savannahs, grasslands, and open woodlands. Their primary food source is acacia leaves, which they browse at heights most other herbivores cannot reach. Giraffes are preyed on by lions; their young are also targeted by leopards, spotted hyenas, and African wild dogs. Giraffe are gregarious and may gather in large aggregations. Males establish social hierarchies through "necking", which are combat bouts where the neck is used as a weapon. Dominant males gain mating access to females, which bear the sole responsibility for raising the young.

Q. Why is a giraffe’s neck so long?

A. It is the only animal giving birth standing up. It is also the only animal who gives birth with the hind legs coming out first, then the body, the front legs and then the head. Just before the head pops out, the female giraffe clamps the head between her labia allowing the neck stretch, stretch, stretch until the feet touches the ground, preventing the calf to fall so far.