世界上最高的動物

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想必大家對長頸鹿并不陌生，長長的脖子，長長的腿，它們是現(xiàn)存世界上最高的陸生動物。那長頸鹿是怎樣吃飯、喝水、睡覺的呢？一起在文章中找找答案吧！

At an average height of around 5m，the giraffe is the tallest land animal in theworld. Characterized by its long legs，long neck，and distinctive spotted pattern，many people first believed the giraffe was a cross between a leopard and a camel，which is reflected in its scientific name，Giraffa camelopardealis.

Giraffes live primarily in savanna areas in the sub-Saharan region of Africa. Theirextreme height allows them to eat leaves and shoots located much higher than other animals can reach.Spending most of the day eating，a full-grown giraffe

consumes over 45 kg of leaves and twigs a day.The giraffe's "stature can be a disadvantage as well-it is difficult and dangerous for a giraffe to drink at a water hole. To do so they must spread their legs and bend down in an awkward position that makes them vulnerable to predators like Africa's big cats. Giraffes onlyneed to drink once every several days. They get most of their water from the 2）luscious plants they eat.

The male giraffe is both taller and heavier than the female. Female giraffes can becomepregnant at 5 years old. They carry a baby for 15 months and give birth while standing up. So the baby giraffes with about a height of 2m tall and a weight of 70kg fall more than 5 feet（152.4cm）to the ground at birth. Calves may grow 1 inch（2.54cm）everyday.

Giraffes sleep less than two hours a day. In general，they sleep with their feet tucked under them and their head resting on their 3）hindquarters，but they can also sleep for short periods of time standing up.

Giraffes can live up to 25 years in the wild. But they are classified by IUCN RedList as 4）vulnerable of extinction. Giraffes face several threats，including loss ofhabitat due to logging for firewood.They are also hunted for their meat，hides，and tails.

1）stature [‘staetfe]n.身材，身高，高度

2）luscious ['NJes] adj.甘美的，美味的

3）hindquarter ['haind，kwo：te] n.后腿，臀部

4）vulnerable ['vAInarabl] adj.易受傷害的，脆弱的

長頸鹿平均身高約5米，是世界上最高的陸生動物。因其長腿、長頸和獨特的斑點圖案，許多人認(rèn)為長頸鹿是豹和駱駝的雜交種，這在其學(xué)名（拉丁文意為“長著豹紋的駱駝”）中得到了體現(xiàn)。

長頸鹿主要生活在非洲撒哈拉以南的稀樹草原地區(qū)。它們的極端高度使它們能夠吃到比其他動物能達(dá)到的高度更高的葉子和嫩枝。長頸鹿一天大部分時間都是在吃，一只成年的長頸鹿一天要消耗45公斤的葉子和樹枝。長頸鹿的高度也有不利之處。它們在水坑旁喝水時很困難同時也很危險。要喝到水，它們必須伸展雙腿，彎下身體，這別扭的姿勢同時使它們?nèi)菀资艿较穹侵薮筘堖@樣的捕食者的攻擊。長頸鹿只需要每隔幾天喝一.次水，它們可以從吃的甘美植物中獲取所需的大部分水分。

雄性長頸鹿比雌性長頸鹿更高更重。雌性長頸鹿在5歲時就可以懷孕，孕期15個月，站著生孩子。因此，身高約2米、體重70公斤的小長頸鹿是從高處掉下地面出生，降落高度超過5英尺（152.4厘米）。小長頸鹿每天可以長1英寸（2.54厘米）。

長頸鹿每天睡眠時間不足兩小時。一般來說，它們睡覺時把腳夾在下面，頭枕在后腿上，但它們也可以站起來短時間睡覺。

長頸鹿在野外可以活到25歲。但它們是被世界自然保護(hù)聯(lián)盟瀕危物種紅色名錄列為瀕臨滅絕的動物。長頸鹿面臨著多種威脅，包括因伐木而喪失棲息地。它們也常被獵殺，以獲取可食用的肉、皮毛和尾巴。