Question

How many bones are there in a Giraffe’s neck?

Answer 1

Hint: Bone is a type of connective tissue that constitutes the framework of the human skeleton by- providing support and structure to the body.

Complete answer:
Giraffes are the tallest living terrestrial mammals and the largest ruminants present on our planet. They belong to the Family Giraffidae, Order Artiodactyla, Class Mammalia, Phylum Chordata, and Kingdom Animalia. It belongs to the only two living genera of the Family Giraffidae. They primarily live in the savanna regions of Africa. The average height of giraffes ranges from 4 to 6 meters. They are Osteophagic, which means they feed on bones.
Bones are the mineralized connective tissue that is made up of calcium and bone cells. It has four types of cells- Osteoblasts, Osteoclasts, Osteocytes, and bone lining cells. They form the internal framework of the body, which gives shape and structure to the body, allows it movement, and provides protection to the various internal organs.

The number of bones in the neck of a giraffe is similar to us. They have seven cervical vertebrae that are joined together by ball and socket joints. These joints give them a 360 degree of rotation. The length of these cervical vertebrae differs in these animals. Each cervical vertebrae is almost 10 inches long and also accounts for the high length of their necks. The length of these vertebrae is disproportionate. The length of their neck varies from 6 to 8 feet. The lengthening of their necks occurs throughout their lifetime. The long neck of the giraffes allows them to reach food present at higher lengths and helps them to survive in scarce food areas as well. They also used the neck rubbing process for mating. They can also use these necks for fighting.

Note: The capability of giraffes to increase the length of their necks were studied by many evolutionary scientists in the previous time. The most accepted explanation is Darwin’s natural selection theory, which states that over time the giraffe’s with the longest neck would have been naturally selected and evolved to form the giraffes we see now.