azteca andreae is an arboreal ant species found in the tropics of south america , most notably in french guiana .

they are most notable for their predatory skills and strength .

they are ambush predators that are able to capture and eat other insects much greater than their own size .

azteca andreae

azteca andreae ant mound in panama . is an arboreal ant species found in the tropics
azteca andreae ant mound in panama . is an arboreal ant species found in the tropics , video
azteca andreae ant mound in panama . is an arboreal ant species found in the tropics | stock video | colourbox
in this study , we investigated the predatory behavior of the ant azteca andreae which is associated with the myrmecophyte cecropia obtusa .
the claws of azteca andreae are shaped like hooks and fit neatly into fibrous loops on the undersides of its home plants ' leaves .
a recent plos one paper by dejean et al documents a novel predatory behavior of azteca andreae . rather than waste words explaining it , here’s a video :
in guiana , symbiosis between azteca ants and the cecropia tree ( or trumpet tree ) is frequent . however , a surprising discovery has been made : one species of ant ( azteca andreae ) uses the
velcro
principle to cling on firmly . . .
predation and aggressiveness in host plant protection : a generalization using ants from the genus azteca .
images : 1 ) azteca andreae ants aligned on a leaf , and capturing a moth . / pnas . 2 ) scanning electron micrographs of hook - shaped a . andreae claw , along with top and bottom surfaces of leaves to which they cling . / pnas .
pcr primers for polymorphic microsatellite loci in the plant - ant azteca ulei cordiae ( formicidae : dolichoderinae ) .
azteca andreae ’s strategy of lying in wait is just one such technique . a related species azteca bequaerti hides in special hollows produced by their host where it listens for the vibrations of a landing insect and swarms it en masse . even more elaborately , allomerus decemarticulatus creates elaborate traps by building layers over tree branches that look like parts of the tree but are actually hiding places for ant ambushers .
does exogenic food benefit both partners in an ant - plant mutualism ? the case of cecropia obtusa and its guest azteca plant - ants .
morais hc . 1998 . azteca cf . lanuginosa ( hymenoptera : formicidae ) : biologia , comportamento de predação e forrageamento em cerrado . urltoken .
( a ) to evaluate the number of azteca andreae workers per centimeter of leaf margin , we took pictures of the workers ambushing from beneath the cecropia obtusa leaves while cautiously placing a ruler 1–2 cm away from the leaf margin so as not to perturb them . ( b ) to evaluate the strength of the workers , we used different weights glued to pieces of thread and placed the free end of the thread near an ambushing major worker . here , three azteca andreae workers are biting the end of a piece of thread glued to a 10 - cent euro coin ; only one ( arrow ) is really holding onto the coin ( 4 . 11 g ) .
a . andreae colonies live in trees , and individual ants line the underside edges of leaves , jaws open and outstretched . when an insect lands , the ants seize its legs , holding it down until other ants dismember the pinioned prey .
in regards to the predatory behavior of
a . decemarticulatus
, similar behaviors have been observed in other ant species , such as symbioses with plants ( like in
pseudomyrmex ferruginea
) , cultivating a fungus ( like in leafcutter ants ) , and sneaking up to and ambushing larger prey ( like in
azteca andreae
, another species studied by dejean ) . however , most remarkably ,
allomerus decemarticulatus
seems to incorporate each of these advanced behaviors to make a powerful apparatus for tricking impressively large prey .
the study was conducted on three a . andreae colonies for each compared tree species , and here , too , the tests consisted in dropping prey onto the upper surface of the leaves from ca . 5 cm in height at ca . 2 . 5 cm from the margin .
the ants keep their grip best while on cecropia obtusa leaves , where the surface loops are pronounced . the two species seem to have co - evolved : a . andreae provides defense against plant - munching bugs , and c . obtusa helps the ants get a predatory grip .
to compare cases of successful capture by a . andreae hunting workers according to different leaf structures , we conducted a study on c . obtusa , c . palmata and v . latifolia , with the latter serving as a control case . indeed , among the plants on which we noted a . andreae workers in the process of hunting , the leaves of v . latifolia are relatively large ( up to 20 cm in length and 8 cm in width ) , their upper side is very smooth and the underside much less downy than those of the two compared cecropia .
in the brazilian rainforest , a grasshopper lands on a leaf and seals its fate . it was after a quick meal , but this leaf belongs to the cecropia obtusa plant and it employs hidden bodyguards – ants . underneath its leaves , thousands of azteca andreae ants lie in ambush , poised at the edges with their jaws outstretched . as soon as the grasshopper lands , the ants rush out from their hiding places , seize it by the legs and pull it spread - eagled . the leaf turns into a medieval torture rack , with the ambushers holding the victim while their nestmates bite , sting and dismember it .
azteca andreae workers occasionally hunt by patrolling their host tree foliage , but early in the morning – or , more frequently , at the end of the day and at night – they ambush prey by placing themselves side - by - side beneath the leaf margins with just their wide - open mandibles visible from above ( fig . 1c ) . after noting that they frequently occupy all of the leaf margins of their host trees , we evaluated the number of ambushing workers by multiplying the density of the workers by the total length of the leaf margins ; for example , for the 10 leaves of a c . obtusa tree , we estimated that there were 4 . 4 workers per cm or ca . 8350 workers ( see fig . 2a ) .
because we observed a . andreae workers capturing an 8 - cm - long locust weighing 9 . 2 g - or ca . 7 , 100 times the weight ( 0 . 0014 g ) of a hunting worker - on their host c . obtusa , we hypothesized that the cecropia leaf structure could play a role in the capture of such a large prey . we therefore surveyed what kind and sizes of prey a . andreae workers can capture , studied the c . obtusa and c . palmata leaf structure , compared the workers ' strength when holding onto different weights in five situations , and compared the successfulness of workers at capturing locust nymphs when hunting on c . obtusa , c . palmata and vismia latifolia ( clusiaceae ) , with the latter serving as a control case .
the tests consisted in dropping 1 cm , 1 . 5 cm , 2 . 5 cm and 3 . 5 - cm - long nymphs of the locust species tropidacris collaris onto the upper surface of c . obtusa , c . palmata or v . latifolia leaves where groups of 12–15 a . andreae workers were hunting . these prey were dropped from ca . 5 cm in height at ca . 2 . 5 cm from the leaf margins .
( a ) a carton nest on a cecropia obtusa . ( b ) underside of a young c . obtusa leaf with numerous ambushing a . andreae workers placed side - by - side along the leaf margin . a black hymenoptera is spread - eagled near the principal vein . ( c ) a sphingid moth was captured during the night and was still struggling when we photographed it in the morning . ( d ) detail of the position of ambushing workers .
the incredible tactics of the azteca ants were discovered 16 years ago , but the secret behind their prodigious grip has only just been revealed by a team of french and spanish scientists led by alain dejean . they watched the entire hunting sequence by luring large moths to the leaves using ultraviolet light , or by dropping grasshoppers onto them . at the slightest touch , the closest workers attacked the prey and drove it towards others lying in wait , which collectively flipped it underneath the leaf and stretched it out .
the layers are made out of the hairs of its host tree bound together with a fungus that the ants farm . they are pitted with tiny holes that the ants hide in . when a victim lands , the ants launch a grisly surprise attack , rushing out from their holes and grabbing the victim by the legs . as with a . andreae , the victims of a . decemarticulatus are stretched out and eaten . in the rainforest , even a harmless looking leaf or branch can hide a painful death inside or beneath it .
( a ) scanning electron micrograph of the hook - shaped claws of a . andreae workers . ( b - c ) photomicrographs of unstained , 50 µm sections of cecropia obtusa ( b ) and c . palmata ( c ) ; the upper side of the lamina is on the top . d - g - scanning electron micrographs of the upper side ( d–e ) and underside ( f–g ) of the lamina of c . obtusa ( d–f ) and c . palmata ( e–g ) . long , thin trichomes characterize the underside of the leaves of both species , but with major differences in densities ; whereas the upper surface of the leaves has short , wide trichomes – here , too , at different densities . scale bars , 100 µm .
we monitored 12 c . obtusa during 22 non - consecutive days and verified twice each day , at dusk and early in the morning , what prey were captured by the a . andreae workers . we thoroughly inspected the underside of the foliage , the trunk and the surface of the nests in order to note what prey were spread - eagled , and / or in the process of being slowly retrieved or cut up ( generally on the nest ) . we gathered the most frequent and the largest prey for identification . the largest prey were weighed individually ; whereas , for the most frequent prey , we gathered up to 30 individuals to obtain a mean weight ( ±se ) . we then calculated the ratio between the weight of the captured prey and the mean weight of a hunting worker .
we used nymphs of the locust species tropidacris collaris from four size ranges : 1 cm , 1 . 5 cm , 2 . 5 cm and 3 . 5 cm . these nymphs move in groups of up to 150 individuals of the same size and are therefore good candidates for such studies . the tests were conducted when groups of 12–15 a . andreae workers were hunting on c . obtusa , c . palmata or v . latifolia . for each size class of prey , we compared the number of workers involved in hunting using an anova to be sure that during the tests on one plant species the number of workers involved in hunting was not greater than for the two other plant species . in all of the cases , the difference was not significant ( p = 0 . 41 ; p = 0 . 88 ; p = 0 . 63 and p = 0 . 97 for tests conducted on locust nymphs of 1 cm , 1 . 5 cm , 2 . 5 cm and 3 . 5 cm , respectively ; n = 30 cases in all situations ) .
discover a faster , simpler path to publishing in a high - quality journal . plos one promises fair , rigorous peer review , broad scope , and wide readership – a perfect fit for your research every time .
citation : dejean a , leroy c , corbara b , roux o , céréghino r , orivel j , et al . ( 2010 ) arboreal ants use the “velcro® principle” to capture very large prey . plos one 5 ( 6 ) : e11331 . urltoken
copyright : © 2010 dejean et al . this is an open - access article distributed under the terms of the creative commons attribution license , which permits unrestricted use , distribution , and reproduction in any medium , provided the original author and source are credited .
funding : this study was funded by the programme amazonie ii of the french centre national de la recherche scientifique ( project 2id ) and the programme convergence 2007 - 2013 , région guyane from the european community ( project dega ) . the funders had no role in study design , data collection and analysis , decision to publish , or preparation of the manuscript .
except for myrmecophytic acacia , piper and macaranga that produce protein - rich fbs and whose mutualistic plant - ants do not hunt , other plant - related products such as carbohydrate - rich efn , fbs and hemiptera honeydew are comparatively poor in protein and amino acids [ 3 ] , [ 7 ] – [ 10 ] . so , many arboreal ants have developed innovative ways of meeting these needs . some species economize nitrogen as their workers have a thin cuticle and non - proteinaceous venom [ 11 ] ; others rely on micro - symbionts to recycle nitrogen [ 12 ] – [ 14 ] , while still others consume a part of their attended hemiptera that thus do not proliferate [ 6 ] .
by monitoring 12 c . obtusa during 22 non - consecutive days , we noted that the colonies captured on average 16 . 66±0 . 76 prey greater than 8 mm in length per day ( n . b . smaller prey , not registered as they were too rapidly mastered and retrieved , were very numerous ) . the prey included a wide range of flying and jumping insects ( see table 1 ) , the largest of which , a 10 . 5 - cm - long tropidacris collaris locust , weighed 18 . 61 g or 13 , 350 times the weight of a hunting worker .
different captured prey , their weight ( or mean weight ± se ) and the ratio with the mean weight of a hunting worker ( ca . 0 . 0014 g ) .
because the capture of such large and powerful prey was unexpected , we experimentally verified the workers ' strength by placing the free ends of threads glued to different weights in front of individuals ambushing on a vertical part of a leaf . tested individually , the workers immediately bit the end of the thread , and had enough grip to hold onto loads up to 8 . 0 g or 5 , 714 times their weight ( figs . 2b and 3 ) .
we noted a significantly higher number of successful cases when we tested workers situated on the very downy underside of c . obtusa leaves than when either on the rough upper side of these leaves or on experimental sheets of supple plastic ( figs . 3a and 4 ) . the surface of the selected plastic does not allow ant claws to grip , so that the workers adhere thanks to their adhesive pads . indeed , the velvet - like surface found on the underside of the c . obtusa leaves ( fig . 4 ) seems determinant in the workers being able to hold onto such weight . this is shown by the fact that ambushing workers from colonies associated with c . obtusa were significantly more effective than those from colonies associated with c . palmata ( fig . 3b ) , the underside of whose leaves is much less downy ( fig . 4 ) .
( a ) from the upper side and the underside of c . obtusa leaves , and from a sheet of supple plastic ( kruskal - wallis test for 0 . 75 g : h 3 , 300 = 12 . 4 ; p = 0 . 002 ; for 0 . 125 g and 0 . 250 g : h 3 , 300 = 74 ; p < 0 . 0001 ; dunn ' s post hoc test for multiple comparisons : different letters indicate significant differences at p < 0 . 01 ) . ( b ) from the underside of c . obtusa vs . c . palmata leaves ( wilcoxon signed rank test : z = 2 . 37 ; p < 0 . 02 ) .
“velcro” , which has become a generic term derived from the french words ‘ velours ’ ( for velvet ) and ‘ crochet ’ ( for hook ) , is a “hook - and - loop” fastener inspired by burdock seeds that are dispersed because they stick to mammal fur . another case of a natural velcro involved in an insect - plant interaction was recently described for the cone - shaped cells on the rough surface of flower petals that permit bumblebees to grasp the flowers while gathering nectar and pollen , and so to save energy by not having to beat their wings to stay on the flowers [ 21 ] .
published information on the maximum size and weight of the prey captured by arboreal ants is sparse . oecophylla longinoda workers can capture large insects 20 to 50 times their weight , with this ratio exceptionally reaching 580 for a small bird captured and transported after it had fallen to the ground [ 22 ] . allomerus workers use their gallery - shaped trap to capture insects up to 1800 times their weight [ 16 ] .
in conclusion , many ant species have adapted their predatory behavior to the constraints of their arboreal life . this study illustrates a three - fold context wherein a coordinated group hunting effort complements the workers ' hook - shaped claws combined with the structure of the leaves of their host plant . consequently , they use a very effective group ambushing technique permitting them to easily capture numerous insect prey , including large and powerful items , while protecting their host tree .
to evaluate the number of workers ambushing at one time , we took pictures of the workers ambushing from beneath the cecropia obtusa leaves while cautiously placing a ruler 1–2 cm away from the leaf margin so as not to perturb the ants ( fig . 2a ) . to study prey capture , using four different colonies , we dropped prey ( 1 . 5 - cm - long tettigonid grasshoppers ) onto the upper surface of the leaves from ca . 5 cm in height at ca . 2 . 5 cm from the margin ( 50 cases ) . although they were intact and so able to jump , 49 out of the 50 tested grasshoppers were captured , and then retrieved .
using a microscale ( mettler® ae 260 ) , we individually weighed 300 hunting workers randomly gathered from three colonies ( 100 individuals from each colony ) , resulting in an average worker weight of 1 . 393±0 . 05 mg ( ±se ) , so ca . 1 . 4 mg . they consisted of medium - to large - sized individuals .
pieces of the central lobe of the multi - lobed c . obtusa and c . palmata leaves were collected and immediately fixed in faa ( 5 % formalin , 5 % acetic acid and 50 % ethanol ) before being stored in 70 % ethanol . cross - sections , 50 µm thick , were obtained using a vibrating microtome ( leica vt 1000s , rueil - malmaison , france ) . unstained sections were observed using an inverted microscope ( leica dmirbe , rueil - malmaison , france ) . images were acquired with a ccd camera ( color coolview , photonic science , robertsbridge , uk ) . for scanning electron microscope ( sem ) photography , pieces of leaves were dehydrated in 80 , 90 and 100 % ethanol and were critical point - dried with liquid carbon dioxide . the dried materials were attached with double - sided tape onto metal stubs , grounded with conductive silver paint and sputter - coated with gold / palladium . observations were made using a scanning electron microscope ( hitachi c450 ) operated at 15 kv , and photographs were taken with illford 125 iso film .
to determine more precisely how much weight a single worker is able to hold onto , we glued one of the ends of pieces of thick thread onto different weights . the experiment consisted in taking a weight between the thumb and index finger and cautiously placing the free end of the thread near a major worker ambushing on a vertical part of a leaf ( see fig . 2b ) and rather isolated from its nestmates so that it would not immediately recruit other workers . we considered the experiment to be valid when the workers could hold onto the tested weight for at least 5 seconds . if nestmates came to help the worker prior to the end of the 5 - second period , the experiment was not taken into consideration .
because our data were structured due to the fact that we used three individuals per tree species and each tree was used repeatedly ( 10 times ) , we used the generalized linear mixed model ( glmm ) on r 2 . 8 . 1 ( r development core team , 2008 ) with the “glmer” function of the “lme4” package by bates and maechler . the glmm was run on the rate of successful capture of prey with the binomial distribution option ( binary results such as failure or success of capture ) , using the tree species and the size of the prey as fixed effects , and replicates as a random effect .
we are grateful to andrea yockey - dejean for proofreading the manuscript , to vivien rossi for advice concerning the statistics , and to the laboratoire environnement de petit saut ( hydreco ) , french guiana , for its logistical help .
conceived and designed the experiments : ad . performed the experiments : ad cl bc or rc jo rb . analyzed the data : ad cl bc or rc jo rb . contributed reagents / materials / analysis tools : ad cl . wrote the paper : ad . performed the histology : cl .
wilson eo , hölldobler b ( 2005 ) the rise of the ants : a phylogenetic and ecological explanation . proc natl acad sc , usa 102 : 7411–7414 .
moreau cs , bell cd , vila r , archibald b , pierce ne ( 2006 ) phylogeny of the ants : diversification in the age of angiosperms . science 312 : 101–104 .
rico - gray v , oliveira p ( 2007 ) the ecology and evolution of ant - plant interactions . ( chicago : the university of chicago press ) . 320 p .
dejean a , corbara b , orivel j , leponce m ( 2007 ) rainforest canopy ants : the implications of territoriality and predatory behavior . funct ecosyst communit 1 : 105–120 .
styrsky jd , eubanks m d ( 2007 ) ecological consequences of interactions between ants and honeydew - producing insects . proc r soc london b 274 : 151–164 .
heil m , mckey d ( 2003 ) protective ant - plant interactions as model systems in ecological and evolutionary research . ann rev ecol syst 34 : 425–453 .
davidson dw ( 2005 ) ecological stoichiometry of ants in a new world rain forest . oecologia 142 : 221–231 .
feldhaar h , straka j , krischke m , berthold k , stoll s , et al . ( 2007 ) nutritional upgrading for omnivorous carpenter ants by the endosymbiont
russell ja , moreau cs , goldman - huertas b , fujiwara m , et al . ( 2009 ) bacterial gut symbionts are tightly linked with the evolution of herbivory in ants . proc natl acad sc , usa 106 : 21236–21241 .
( passifloraceae ) through aggressiveness and predation . biol j linn soc 93 : 63–69 .
dejean a , solano pj , ayroles j , corbara b , orivel j ( 2005 ) arboreal ants build traps to capture prey . nature 434 : 973 .
( hymenoptera : formicidae ) : biologia , comportamento de predação e forrageamento em cerrado .
whitney hm , chittka l , bruce tja , glover bj ( 2009 ) conical epidermal cells allow bees to grip flowers and increase foraging efficiency . curr biol 19 : 948–953 .
federle w , baumgartner w , hölldobler b ( 2004 ) biomechanics of ant adhesive pads : frictional forces are rate - and temperature - dependent . j exp biol 207 : 67–74 .
do these subject areas make sense for this article ? click the target next to the incorrect subject area and let us know . thanks for your help !
the ants lie in wait on the underside of a leaf . workers drive the moth towards these edges , where the ambushers grab them .
you must log in to access this functionality . you may create an account , or log in anonymously , here .
guerrero , delabie & dejean , 2010 pdf : 54 , figs . 1 - 2 ( w . q . m . )
antweb content is licensed under a creative commons attribution license . we encourage use of antweb images . in print , each image must include attribution to its photographer and
from urltoken
in the figure caption . for websites , images must be clearly identified as coming from urltoken , with a backward link to the respective source page . see how to cite antweb .
antweb is funded from private donations and from grants from the national science foundation , deb - 0344731 , ef - 0431330 and deb - 0842395 . c : 0
long before velcro was invented , a species of south american ant used its own natural form of the wonder material to hunt .
it ' s
like natural velcro that is reinforced by the group ambush strategy of the workers , allowing them to capture prey of up to 13 , 350 times the mean weight of a single worker ,
wrote researchers in a study published june 25 in plos one .
in the new study , the researchers held weighted threads in front of the ants . instinctively , the ants bit and held . without losing its grip , the average worker could hold on to 8 grams , or some 5 , 700 times its body weight . in proportional terms , that ' s like a house cat holding on to a humpback whale . passing insects don ' t have a chance .
another , less gruesome example of velcro - like plant - insect interaction was recently described between bumblebees and flower petals , which have microscopic loops that enable bees to hang upside - down with little effort .
citation : arboreal ants use the “velcro® principle” to capture very large prey .
by alain dejean , céline leroy , bruno corbara , olivier roux , régis céréghino , jérôme orivel , raphaël boulay . public library of science one , vol . 5 no . 6 , june 25 , 2010 .
brandon keim ' s twitter stream and reportorial outtakes ; wired science on twitter . brandon is currently working on a book about ecological tipping points .
use of and / or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our user agreement ( updated 5 / 25 / 18 ) and privacy policy and cookie statement ( updated 5 / 25 / 18 ) . your california privacy rights . the material on this site may not be reproduced , distributed , transmitted , cached or otherwise used , except with the prior written permission of condé nast . ad choices .
guerrero , et al . 2010 : 54 , figs . 1 - 2 ( w . q . m . )
eol content is automatically assembled from many different content providers . as a result , from time to time you may find pages on eol that are confusing .
to request an improvement , please leave a comment on the page . thank you !
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd xhtml 1 . 0 transitional / / en
urltoken
warning : the ncbi web site requires javascript to function . more . . .
this is an open - access article distributed under the terms of the creative commons attribution license , which permits unrestricted use , distribution , and reproduction in any medium , provided the original author and source are properly credited .
( cecropiaceae ) , and sometimes on the foliage of surrounding trees . these two
tree , we estimated that there were 4 . 4 workers per cm or ca . 8350 workers ( see
were ambushing in great number . the larger insects were successfully captured only when they were seized at the leaf margins (
) . this was confirmed by experimentally dropping 1 . 5 - cm - long grasshoppers onto leaves ca . 2 . 5 cm from the margin . the vibrations triggered an alarm in the three to ten closest workers that collectively attacked the prey and drove it toward ambushing nestmates that then seized it and immediately flipped it under the leaves before spread - eagling it during 4 to 10 minutes . meanwhile , new workers had replaced those involved in the prey capture by placing themselves side - by - side along the leaf margin . once they had killed or stunned the prey , the ants collectively retrieved it by moving slowly toward the leaf petiole , and then toward the carton nest . some grasshoppers were partially carved up on the spot .
during 22 non - consecutive days , we noted that the colonies captured on average 16 . 66±0 . 76 prey greater than 8 mm in length per day ( n . b . smaller prey , not registered as they were too rapidly mastered and retrieved , were very numerous ) . the prey included a wide range of flying and jumping insects ( see
) , the largest of which , a 10 . 5 - cm - long
locust , weighed 18 . 61 g or 13 , 350 times the weight of a hunting worker .
winged termites ( isoptera , rhinotermitidae ) ( 0 . 4±0 . 01 cm )
tropidacris collaris ( orthoptera , acrididae ) ( 8 . 1±0 . 2 cm )
tinacris albipes ( orthoptera , acrididae ) ( ca . 6 . 5 cm )
because the capture of such large and powerful prey was unexpected , we experimentally verified the workers ' strength by placing the free ends of threads glued to different weights in front of individuals ambushing on a vertical part of a leaf . tested individually , the workers immediately bit the end of the thread , and had enough grip to hold onto loads up to 8 . 0 g or 5 , 714 times their weight (
) . the surface of the selected plastic does not allow ant claws to grip , so that the workers adhere thanks to their adhesive pads . indeed , the velvet - like surface found on the underside of the
) seems determinant in the workers being able to hold onto such weight . this is shown by the fact that ambushing workers from colonies associated with
, served as a control case . we experimentally dropped the locust nymphs onto leaves ca . 2 . 5 cm from the leaf margins , and noted that both the tree species and the size of the locust nymphs had a significant effect on the ability of the ants to successfully catch the prey ( p < 0 . 001 in all cases ;
) . this permits a limited number of workers to hold onto large insects until their nestmates are able to help to spread - eagle these prey . this is particularly true for
workers and the velvet - like structure of the underside of the leaves combine to act like natural velcro® and is reinforced by the group ambush strategy of the workers . as a result ,
workers can capture powerful prey up to 13 , 350 times their weight ( i . e . , equivalent to a 934 . 5 - ton catch by a group of men each weighing 70 kg ) , while the host plant benefits from protection from even the largest defoliating insects .
. this behavior does not depend on the structure of the leaf blades of the host tree . indeed ,
) . because prey of that size or smaller are the most frequently captured , they likely constitute the basis of the protein obtained by the colonies .
this study and the preliminary surveys that permitted us to develop the appropriate experimental protocols were conducted between 2005 and 2009 along forest edges in zones situated around the field station at petit saut , sinnamary , french guiana ( 5° 03′ 39″ n ; 53° 02′ 36″ w ) .
) , so that the nests are periodically rebuilt as the host tree grows . in french guiana ,
that develops on white sands ( m . f . prevost , pers . comm . ) .
) . to study prey capture , using four different colonies , we dropped prey ( 1 . 5 - cm - long tettigonid grasshoppers ) onto the upper surface of the leaves from ca . 5 cm in height at ca . 2 . 5 cm from the margin ( 50 cases ) . although they were intact and so able to jump , 49 out of the 50 tested grasshoppers were captured , and then retrieved .
to determine more precisely how much weight a single worker is able to hold onto , we glued one of the ends of pieces of thick thread onto different weights . the experiment consisted in taking a weight between the thumb and index finger and cautiously placing the free end of the thread near a major worker ambushing on a vertical part of a leaf ( see
) and rather isolated from its nestmates so that it would not immediately recruit other workers . we considered the experiment to be valid when the workers could hold onto the tested weight for at least 5 seconds . if nestmates came to help the worker prior to the end of the 5 - second period , the experiment was not taken into consideration .
wilson eo , hölldobler b . the rise of the ants : a phylogenetic and ecological explanation .
moreau cs , bell cd , vila r , archibald b , pierce ne . phylogeny of the ants : diversification in the age of angiosperms .
rico - gray v , oliveira p . ( chicago : the university of chicago press ) ; 2007 . the ecology and evolution of ant - plant interactions . 320
dejean a , grangier j , leroy c , orivel j . predation and aggressiveness in host plant protection : a generalization using ants of the genus
dejean a , corbara b , orivel j , leponce m . rainforest canopy ants : the implications of territoriality and predatory behavior .
styrsky jd , eubanks m d . ecological consequences of interactions between ants and honeydew - producing insects .
fischer r c , richter a , wanek w , mayer v . plants feed ants : food bodies of myrmecophytic
heil m , mckey d . protective ant - plant interactions as model systems in ecological and evolutionary research .
heil m , baumann b , krüger r , linsenmair ke . main nutrient compounds in food bodies of mexican
feldhaar h , straka j , krischke m , berthold k , stoll s , et al . nutritional upgrading for omnivorous carpenter ants by the endosymbiont
russell ja , moreau cs , goldman - huertas b , fujiwara m , et al . bacterial gut symbionts are tightly linked with the evolution of herbivory in ants .
de souza dj , bézier a , depoix d , drezen j - m , lenoir a .
dejean a , djiéto - lordon c , orivel j . the plant - ant
dejean a , solano pj , ayroles j , corbara b , orivel j . arboreal ants build traps to capture prey .
whitney hm , chittka l , bruce tja , glover bj . conical epidermal cells allow bees to grip flowers and increase foraging efficiency .
wojtusiak j , godzinska ej , dejean a . capture and retrieval of very large prey by workers of the african weaver ant ,
federle w , baumgartner w , hölldobler b . biomechanics of ant adhesive pads : frictional forces are rate - and temperature - dependent .
this hunting strategy is all the more amazing when you consider that the ants weigh just over a milligram each while their prey – including grasshoppers and moths – can weigh up to 10 grams . ants are famously strong and they obviously hunt in large numbers , but even so , holding down a struggling insect that outweighs them by around 10 , 000 times can’t be easy . it’s the equivalent of a team of humans holding down three struggling blue whales .
but the ants and their host plant work together . the claws of the ants hook into the velvety , downy underside of c . obtusa ’s leaves in the same way that velcro fastens using miniature hooks and loops . the plant provides biological hitching posts that its bodyguards can anchor themselves to and the ants are far stronger on their host plant than on any other .
to test the workers’ strength , dejean dangled threads with weights at the end of them in front of their open jaws . he found that each worker can hold onto 8 grams , around 5 , 700 times her own weight . as a unit , they can manage far more .
the workers also seemed to be particularly strong on the downy underside of the leaves than on the rough upper surface , or on a sheet of smooth plastic . and they were especially mighty on their host plant . when dejean tested them on a closely related tree with a less downy underside they couldn’t hold onto as much weight . the downy underside is the key – it provides something for the ants’ claws to fasten onto .
these ants are one of the many hundreds of ant species that form lasting relationships with plants , defending them from plant - eaters in exchange for shelter and food . but all of them have a problem . plant nectar is typically poor in proteins and nitrogen , and while some plants pay their bodyguards with special protein - rich food packages , most plant - defending ants must get these nutrients in other ways .
some rely on thriftiness , by producing workers with very thin shells and venoms that don’t contain any protein . some rely on bacteria and others farm sap - sucking bugs that they gently nip from time to time . and yet others solve the problem by hunting for fresh meat . foraging in the forest canopy is difficult so these tree - top predators rely on ambush techniques that make the most of prey that approaches them .
use on websites and for limited audiences in social media , apps , or live performances .
flying downwards from philodendron leaves on the trunk of a rainforest tree in the ecuadorian amazon . shot using a quadcopter .
portrait of mother and two sons , costa rica . shot on red epic for high quality 4k , uhd , ultra hd resolution .
soccer ball in goal net with slowmotion . slowmotion football ball in the net .
stage lights and different shapes art gallery . series 3 + version from 1 to 26 + orange - blue - purple and white color series
over 10 , 966 , 582 royalty - free video clips with 81 , 204 new stock clips added weekly .
céline leroy , jean - françois carrias , bruno corbara , laurent pélozuelo , olivier dézerald , olivier brouard , alain dejean , régis céréghino .
epiphytism imposes physiological constraints resulting from the lack of access to the nutrient sources available to ground - rooted plants . a conspicuous adaptation in response to that lack is the phytotelm ( plant - held waters ) of tank - bromeliad species that are often nutrient - rich . associations with terrestrial invertebrates also result in higher plant nutrient acquisition . assuming that tank - bromeliads rely on reservoir - assisted nutrition , it was hypothesized that the dual association with mutualistic ants and the phytotelm food web provides greater nutritional benefits to the plant compared with those bromeliads involved in only one of these two associations .
scott c warren , kislon voïtchovsky , hen dotan , céline m leroy , maurin cornuz , francesco stellacci , cécile hébert , avner rothschild , michael grätzel .
charge transport in nanoparticle - based materials underlies many emerging energy - conversion technologies , yet assessing the impact of nanometre - scale structure on charge transport across micrometre - scale distances remains a challenge . here we develop an approach for correlating the spatial distribution of crystalline and current - carrying domains in entire nanoparticle aggregates . we apply this approach to nanoparticle - based ? - fe ? o ? electrodes that are of interest in solar - to - hydrogen energy conversion . in correlating structure and charge transport with nanometre resolution across micrometre - scale distances , we have identified the existence of champion nanoparticle aggregates that are most responsible for the high photoelectrochemical activity of the present electrodes . indeed , when electrodes are fabricated with a high proportion of these champion nanostructures , the electrodes achieve the highest photocurrent of any metal oxide photoanode for photoelectrochemical water - splitting under 100 mw cm ( - 2 ) air mass 1 . 5 global sunlight .
predation success by a plant - ant indirectly favours the growth and fitness of its host myrmecophyte .
alain dejean , jérôme orivel , vivien rossi , olivier roux , jérémie lauth , pierre - jean g malé , régis céréghino , céline leroy .
food - web structure in relation to environmental gradients and predator - prey ratios in tank - bromeliad ecosystems .
olivier dézerald , céline leroy , bruno corbara , jean - françois carrias , laurent pélozuelo , alain dejean , régis céréghino .
céline m leroy , alexandra e maegli , kevin sivula , takashi hisatomi , nicolas xanthopoulos , eugenio h otal , songhak yoon , anke weidenkaff , rosendo sanjines , michael grätzel .
latio ( 2 ) n photoanodes for solar water splitting were prepared by electrophoretic deposition and demonstrated the best photocurrents ever reported for this material . further important enhancement of the performance was obtained by the use of a sputtered in ( 2 ) o ( 3 ) overlayer .
ant species identity mediates reproductive traits and allocation in an ant - garden bromeliad .
céline leroy , bruno corbara , laurent pélozuelo , jean - françois carrias , alain dejean , régis céréghino .
determining the sources of variation in floral morphology is crucial to understanding the mechanisms underlying angiosperm evolution . the selection of floral and reproductive traits is influenced by the plants abiotic environment , florivores and pollinators . however , evidence that variations in floral traits result from mutualistic interactions with insects other than pollinators is lacking in the published literature and has rarely been investigated . we aimed to determine whether the association with either camponotus femoratus or pachycondyla goeldii ( both involved in seed dispersal and plant protection ) mediates the reproductive traits and allocation of aechmea mertensii , an obligatory ant - garden tank - bromeliad , differently .
emission - photoactivity cross - processing of mesoporous interfacial charge transfer in eu3 + doped titania .
céline marie leroy , hong feng wang , alexandre fargues , thierry cardinal , véronique jubera , mona treguer - delapierre , cédric boissiere , david grosso , clement sanchez , bruno viana , fabienne pellé .
periodic mesoporous eu ( 3 + ) doped titania materials were obtained through the eisa ( evaporation induced self assembly ) process . eu ( 3 + ) ions , entrapped within the semi - crystalline walls of the highly porous framework , appear to be advantageous during the probing of surface photochemical reactions . its emission intensity is very sensitive to the presence of physisorbed molecules , in gas or liquid phase , that reside within the pores . in particular , strong fluctuations in intensity of the ( 5 ) d ( 0 ) ? ( 7 ) f ( 2 ) transition were observed under uv light exposure on the time scale of tens of seconds . the emission modulation dynamics show a strong correlation with the crystallinity of the titania matrix . correlation of the emission with the photocatalytic activity of the semiconductor for photodegradation of an organic molecule is observed . a model is proposed to describe the involved mechanisms .
olivier brouard , anne - hélène le jeune , céline leroy , régis céréghino , olivier roux , laurent pélozuelo , alain dejean , bruno corbara , jean - françois carrias .
alain dejean , bruno corbara , céline leroy , jacques h c delabie , vivien rossi , régis céréghino .
specific , non - nutritional association between an ascomycete fungus and allomerus plant - ants .
mario x ruiz - gonzález , pierre - jean g malé , céline leroy , alain dejean , hervé gryta , patricia jargeat , angélique quilichini , jérôme orivel .
dynamics of the association between a long - lived understory myrmecophyte and its specific associated ants .
jérôme orivel , luc lambs , pierre - jean g malé , céline leroy , julien grangier , thierry otto , angélique quilichini , alain dejean .
a temporary social parasite of tropical plant - ants improves the fitness of a myrmecophyte .
alain dejean , céline leroy , bruno corbara , régis céréghino , olivier roux , bruno hérault , vivien rossi , roberto j guerrero , jacques h c delabie , jérôme orivel , raphaël boulay .
arboreal ants use the
velcro ( r ) principle
to capture very large prey .
alain dejean , céline leroy , bruno corbara , olivier roux , régis céréghino , jérôme orivel , raphaël boulay .
céline leroy , alain jauneau , angélique quilichini , alain dejean , jérôme orivel .
epiphytic plants in general and bromeliads in particular live in a water and nutrient - stressed environment often limited in nitrogen . thus , these plants have developed different ways to survive in such an environment . we focused on aechmea mertensii ( bromeliaceae ) , which is both a tank - bromeliad and an ant - garden ( ag ) epiphyte initiated by either the ants camponotus femoratus or pachycondyla goeldii . by combining a study of plant morphology and physiology associated with aquatic insect biology , we demonstrate that the ant species influences the leaf structure of the bromeliad , the structure of the aquatic community in its tank , and nutrient assimilation by the leaves . based on nitrogen and nitrogen stable isotope measurements of the a . mertensii leaves , the leaf litter inside of the tank and the root - embedded carton nest , we discuss the potential sources of available nitrogen for the plant based on the ant partner . we demonstrate the existence of a complex ant - plant interaction that subsequently affects the biodiversity of a broader range of organisms that are themselves likely to influence nutrient assimilation by the a . mertensii leaves in a kind of plant - invertebrate - plant feedback loop .
aechmea mertensii is a tank - bromeliad that roots on ant - gardens initiated by the ants camponotus femoratus and pachycondyla goeldii . its leaves form compartments acting as phytotelmata that hold rainwater and provide habitats for invertebrates . in this article , we aimed to determine whether the association with either c . femoratus or p . goeldii influenced the vegetative traits of a . mertensii , invertebrate diversity and nutrient assimilation by the leaves . transmitted light , vegetative traits and phytotelmata contents were compared between the two a . mertensii ant - gardens . camponotus femoratus colonized partially shaded areas , whereas p . goeldii colonized exposed areas . the bromeliads rosettes had a large canopy ( c . femoratus ant - gardens ) , or were smaller and amphora shaped ( p . goeldii ant - gardens ) . there were significant differences in leaf anatomy , as shaded leaves were thicker than exposed leaves . the mean volumes of water , fine particulate organic matter and detritus in c . femoratus - associated bromeliads were three to five times higher than in p . goeldii - associated bromeliads . moreover , the highest invertebrate diversity and leaf delta ( 15 ) n values were found in c . femoratus - associated bromeliads . this study enhances our understanding of the dynamics of biodiversity , and shows how ant - plant interactions can have trophic consequences and thus influence the architecture of the interacting plant via a complex feedback loop .
an efficient protocol for isolating melanised chaetothyrialean anamorphic fungi associated with plant - ants .
mario x ruiz - gonzález , jérémie lauth , céline leroy , alain jauneau , hervé gryta , patricia jargeat , alain dejean , jérôme orivel .
because of their ecological characteristics , slow growth rates and the presence of contaminants , chaetothyriales fungi associated with structures built by tropical plant - ants can be difficult to isolate with standard procedures . here , we describe an easy - to - use protocol for obtaining pure cultures by using cotton as a first substrate . we have further found by means of fluorescent stains that nuclei concentrate either in young hyphae or in the tips of the hyphae .
alain dejean , frédéric petitclerc , olivier roux , jérôme orivel , céline leroy .
jove visualize is a tool created to match the last 5 years of pubmed publications to methods in jove ' s video library .
we use abstracts found on pubmed and match them to jove videos to create a list of 10 to 30 related methods videos .
in developing our video relationships , we compare around 5 million pubmed articles to our library of over 4 , 500 methods videos . in some cases the language used in the pubmed abstracts makes matching that content to a jove video difficult . in other cases , there happens not to be any content in our video library that is relevant to the topic of a given abstract . in these cases , our algorithms are trying their best to display videos with relevant content , which can sometimes result in matched videos with only a slight relation .
scientists from the smithsonian institution describe the spectacular guyane false - form beetle , or guyanemorpha spectabilis , from guyane ( french guiana ) . as its name suggests , the newly discovered species stands out among its dull relatives in the western hemisphere , with its great size and beautiful coloration . the study was published in the open access journal zookeys .
this surprising large and colorful pseudomorphine came as a shock to me , as all other species of the tribe in the western hemisphere are quite dull brown , dark reddish , or blackish with no , or little , color contrast on the upper surface ,
explains the author dr . terry l . erwin .
in the world of entomology this new species can be only compared in its rare characteristics to the olinguito , a new carnivore species which charmed the world and just recently described by kris helgen in zookeys ,
he added .


gillellus arenicola , the sandy stargazer , is a species of sand stargazer native to the pacific coast of central america from baja california , mexico , to panama where it can be found on sandy substrates at depths of from 8 to 137 metres ( 26 to 449 ft ) .

it can reach a maximum length of 5.5 centimetres ( 2.2 in ) tl .

gillellus arenicola

jennifer hammock chose to hide data on
gillellus arenicola gilbert , 1890
.
how can i put and write and define gillellus arenicola in a sentence and how is the word gillellus arenicola used in a sentence and examples ? 用gillellus arenicola造句 , 用gillellus arenicola造句 , 用gillellus arenicola造句 , gillellus arenicola meaning , definition , pronunciation , synonyms and example sentences are provided by ichacha . net .

' gillellus arenicola
' , the
' sandy stargazer
' , is a species of sand stargazer native to the pacific coast of central america from baja california , mexico , to panama where it can be found on sandy substrates at depths of from .
dawson , c . e . , 1977 . , studies on eastern pacific sand stargazers ( pisces : dactyloscopidae ) . 4 . gillellus , sindoscopus new genus , and heteristius with description of new species . , proc . calif . acad . sci . , 41 ( 2 ) : 125 - 160 .
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd xhtml 1 . 0 strict / / en
urltoken
thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the iucn red list of threatened species website , we are grateful for your input .
gland , switzerland , 5 july 2018 ( iucn ) – australia’s unique reptiles – including lizards and snakes – face severe threats from invasive species and climate change , with 7 % of th . . .
the value of medicinal and aromatic plant trade has increased three - fold in the past 20 years , but traditional harvesting practices are being replaced by less sustainable alternatives . . . .
a recently released iucn technical brief recommends increasing investments in sustainable land management practices , as well as better cooperation between agriculturalists and conservationists to conse . . .
eschmeyer , w . n . ( ed . ) . 2014 . catalog of fishes . updated 27 august 2014 . available at : urltoken . ( accessed : 27 august 2014 ) .
justification : this species is widespread in the eastern pacific . there are no known major threats to this species , and no current indication of population decline . it is listed as least concern .
this species is endemic to the eastern pacific , and is found from southern baja california to jalisco in central mexico . the species is frequently mentioned as occurring to western panama ( e . g . , robertson and allen , 2006 ) , but the validity of this distribution requires confirmation .
there are no known conservation measures for this species . however , this species distribution falls partially into a number of marine protected areas in the eastern pacific region ( wdpa 2006 ) , including cabo pulmo national park .
to make use of this information , please check the < terms of use > .
theodore nicolas gill ( 1837 - 1914 ) researcher of abyssal fishes and systematics ( ref . 45335 )
marine ; demersal ; depth range 8 - 137 m ( ref . 11482 ) . tropical
maturity : l m ? range ? - ? cm max length : 5 . 5 cm tl male / unsexed ; ( ref . 11482 )
allen , g . r . and d . r . robertson , 1994 . fishes of the tropical eastern pacific . university of hawaii press , honolulu . 332 p . ( ref . 11482 )
) : 17 . 2 - 27 . 4 , mean 23 . 4 ( based on 28 cells ) .
phylogenetic diversity index ( ref . 82805 ) : pd 50 = 0 . 5010 [ uniqueness , from 0 . 5 = low to 2 . 0 = high ] .
bayesian length - weight : a = 0 . 00389 ( 0 . 00180 - 0 . 00842 ) , b = 3 . 12 ( 2 . 94 - 3 . 30 ) , in cm total length , based on all lwr estimates for this body shape ( ref . 93245 ) .
trophic level ( ref . 69278 ) : 4 . 0 ±0 . 61 se ; based on food items .
resilience ( ref . 69278 ) : high , minimum population doubling time less than 15 months ( ) .
vulnerability ( ref . 59153 ) : low vulnerability ( 10 of 100 ) .
: missing argument 2 for checkecotox ( ) , called in / var / www / html / summary / speciessummary . php on line 1995 and defined in
: missing argument 3 for checkecotox ( ) , called in / var / www / html / summary / speciessummary . php on line 1995 and defined in
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd html 4 . 01 transitional / / en
urltoken
nelson , joseph s . , edwin j . crossman , h . espinosa - pérez , l . t . findley , c . r . gilbert , et al . , eds .
full author list : nelson , joseph s . , edwin j . crossman , héctor espinosa - pérez , lloyd t . findley , carter r . gilbert , robert n . lea , and james d . williams
disclaimer : itis taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available , and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties . however , it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes . while every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and up - to - date information available , ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in provisions of treaties to which the united states is a party , wildlife statutes , regulations , and any applicable notices that have been published in the federal register . for further information on u . s . legal requirements with respect to protected taxa , please contact the u . s . fish and wildlife service .
eol content is automatically assembled from many different content providers . as a result , from time to time you may find pages on eol that are confusing .
to request an improvement , please leave a comment on the page . thank you !
body compressed , tapering to tail ; head moderate size ; eyes not on stalks ; tip of lower jaw fleshy , pointed , conical , strongly protruding ; lower lips only with 4 skin flaps ; tubular nostrils ; dorsal fin origin on nape , before level of upper corner of operculum , a finlet of ii ( ii - iii ) spines at front , then i - ii free spines , then main fin , ii - iii + i - ii + x - xii ( total xiii - xv ) , 29 ( 27 - 31 ) ; segmented anal rays 35 - 36 ( 34 - 38 ) ; pectoral rays 12 ( 12 - 13 ) ; tail fin with some branched rays ; lateral line continuous , bends down between dorsal fin elements 15 - 16 ( 14 - 17 ) ; scales smooth ; head , pectoral base and belly scaleless ; total lateral - line scales 53 ( 51 - 55 ) , scales in straight ( posterior ) part of lateral line 28 ( 27 - 29 ) .
whitish ; back with about 7 short dark saddles alternating with ~ 6 dark hour - glass - shaped bars that extend to middle of side .
we parsed the following live from the web into this page . such content is managed by its original site and not cached on discover life . please send feedback and corrections directly to the source . see original regarding copyrights and terms of use .
80x5 - 240x3 - 240x4 - 320x1 - 320x2 - 320x3 - 640x1 - 640x2 set display option above . click on images to enlarge .
tip of lower jaw fleshy , pointed , and strongly protruding ; isolated dorsal finlet on nape composed of 2 spines , followed by 1 isolated spine then main fin ; dorsal rays ii + i + x - xi , 27 - 31 ; segmented anal rays 34 - 38 ( usually 35 - 36 ) ; pectoral rays 12 - 13 ; total lateral - line scales 51 - 55 ; scales in straight ( posterior ) part of lateral line 27 - 29 ; lateral line deflected ventrally below dorsal fin elements 14 - 17 ; principal segmented caudal rays 10 .
overall whitish with series of brown saddles and bars across back and on upper side ; about 7 dark saddles on back alternating with hour - glass - shaped bars that extend to middle of side .
findley , l . t . , hendrickx , m . e . , brusca , r . c . , van der heiden , a . m . , hastings , p . a . , torre , j . , 2003 . , diversidad de la macrofauna marina del golfo de california , mexico . , cd - rom versión 1 . 0 . projecto de la macrofauna del golfo . derechos reservados de los autores y conservación internacional .
gilbert , c . h . , 1890 . , a preliminary report on the fishes collected by the steamer
albatross
on the pacific coast of north america during the year 1889 , with descriptions of twelve new genera and ninety - two new species . , proc . u . s . nat . mus . , 13 : 49 - 126 .
love , m . s . , mecklenburg , c . w . , mecklenburg , t . a . , thorsteinson , l . k . , 2005 . , es of the west coast and alaska : a checklist of north pacific and artic ocena species from baja california to the alaska - yukon border . , u . s . department of the interior , u . s . geological survey , biological resources division , 288pp .
osburn , r . c . and nichols , j . t . , 1916 . , shore fishes collected by the ' albatross ' expedition in lower california with descriptions of new species . , bull . amer . mus . nat . hist . , 35 : 139 - 181 .
van der heiden , a . m . and findley , l . t . , 1988 . , lista de los peces marinos del sur de sinaloa , méxico . , anales del centro de ciencias del mar y limnologia de la universidad autonoma nacional de mexico , 15 : 209 - 224 .
villareal - cavazos , a . , reyes - bonilla , h . , bermúdez - almada , b . and arizpe - covarrubias , o . , 2000 . , los peces del arrecife de cabo pulmo , golfo de california , méxico : lista sistemática y aspectos de abundancia y biogeografía . , rev . biol . trop . , 48 : 413 - 424 .
i thank ashley macdonald and john pickering , university of georgia , for technical support in building this page .
encyclo . co . uk , online since 2007 , is a search engine for english meanings and definitions . the website aims to publish all wordlists , big and small , on the internet , making it much easier to find the word you need . follow us on facebook


the kordofan giraffe ( giraffa camelopardalis antiquorum ) is a subspecies of giraffe found in northern cameroon , southern chad , central african republic and possibly western sudan .

historically some confusion has existed over the exact range limit of this subspecies compared to the west african giraffe , with populations in e.g. northern cameroon formerly assigned to the latter .

genetic work has also revealed that all " west african giraffe " in european zoos are in fact kordofan giraffe .

compared to most other subspecies , the kordofan giraffe has relatively small , more irregular spots on the inner legs .

its english name is a reference to kordofan in sudan .

there are around 2,000 individuals living in the wild .

the christian science monitor lists only 38 individuals being alive in the embattled garamba national park in the democratic republic of congo due to poaching ; their skin is used for luxury goods and they are said to produce enough meat to feed poachers for ' weeks ' .

recent genetic studies also shows distinct genetic populations of giraffe that makes conservation of these subspecies even more important .

kordofan giraffe

the kordofan giraffe is a subspecies of giraffe typically found in northern cameroon , southern chad , central african republic and possibly western sudan .
compared to other subspecies , the kordofan giraffe has small , more irregular spots on the inner legs .
to celebrate world giraffe day this 21st june , we thought we’d take a look at a very special subspecies of the giraffidae family – the kordofan giraffe .
spot the spots . compared to other subspecies , the kordofan giraffe has relatively small , pale and irregular spots .
the existence of the tiny kordofan giraffe population , the last in congo , is particularly precarious and special units are assigned to protect them .
in the north - eastern democratic republic of the congo borders south sudan and contains the last remaining population of kordofan giraffe in the drc .
you would have to run in order to keep up with a giraffe walking because every step a giraffe takes is 15 feet long .
they’re misunderstood . most of the kordofan populations were formerly classifed as west african giraffe ( g . c . peralta ) , but recent research has proved that they’re actually in a class of their own . genetic studies in 2007 resulted in giraffe from zoos across europe being reclassified as kordofan ( g . c . antiquorum ) .
with only 38 kordofan giraffes remaining , conservationists are asking president obama to donate funding and supplies .
one of only a handful of kordofan giraffes in captivity , seen in paris . mathae / wikimedia
a giraffe is one of the few animals that uses mostly its front legs when it runs .
currently there are nine recognised subspecies of giraffe living in geographically distinct areas across africa . however , there is increasing evidence to suggest that this may not be correct , and the giraffe conservation foundation ( gcf ) is leading a long - term effort to get to the bottom of giraffe genetics .
a single giraffe can produce up to 660 pounds of meat , and priced at 30 pounds per pound , one giraffe can produce quite a paycheck . especially in a country where the gross domestic product per capita measured $ 231 . 51 in 2012 – the worst in the world . and the skin of the kordofan giraffe has distinctive spots , typically fetching a higher price tag on the luxury goods market .
giraffe gather at a water hole in zimbabwe ' s hwange national park , august 2 , 2015 .
the killing of three rare kordofan giraffes in the democratic republic of the congo inspired a filmmaker to transform his anger into action .
poachers are wiping away a rare subspecies of giraffe found in central africa . exclusive video shows the aftermath of recent killings .
during an aerial count last year , 934 giraffe were recorded , most of which were in the eastern half of the park .
the kordofan giraffe ( giraffa camelopardalis antiquorum ) is a subspecies whose native range includes southern chad , the central african republic , northern cameroon , the northern democratic republic of congo and probably south sudan . it is estimated that there are less than 2 , 000 individuals surviving across these countries .
garamba is africa’s second oldest national park and has been hit hard by poaching in recent years as civil unrest has escalated in the region . its rhinos have been wiped out , and elephants have suffered huge losses . the same goes for its kordofan giraffes , one of africa’s nine giraffe subspecies .
the tiny kordofan giraffe population is the last in congo ( pictured ) . there are an estimated 34 adult giraffes in garamba park , split between two herds , with four young calves between them . their skin is used for luxury goods and they produce enough meat to feed poachers for ' weeks ' the experts claim
today the rhinos have been wiped out , there are less than 1 , 500 elephants and just 38 kordofan giraffes remain in a region plagued with regional conflict , tough terrain and isolation .
the project involved conducting a workshop to train the conservation service from four of the national parks in cameroon that hold giraffe ( waza , faro , bouba njida and bénoué ) on techniques in animal surveying using gis , animal data collection software , drone technology , and undertaking a population survey of large mammals in bénoué national park - particularly giraffe . the team used this trip to identify the threats to giraffe in this region and to help the national park conservator to find effective solutions to those threats .
fewer than 2 , 000 now roam central africa , according to julian fennessy , co - director of the giraffe conservation foundation , a namibia - based organization . garamba’s kordofans represent the last population in the democratic republic of the congo . “if the number slips in half , then we’re in a real dire situation , ” fennessy says . “every single giraffe is valuable . ”
bristol zoological society began its kordofan giraffe conservation project in cameroon in 2016 . this february , our team , which consisted of osiris doumbé , lecturer in conservation science ; daniel days , theming and interpretation coordinator ; will walker , animal manager at wild place project and dr gráinne mccabe , head of field conservation and science , travelled to bénoué national park in northern cameroon to start phase i of the project .
the kordofan giraffe is one of nine subspecies of the long - necked animals to live on the african continent . while most other subspecies are found in the south and east of the continent , the kordofan is the only one to persist in central africa . it once ranged across large tracts of grassland , from chad and cameroon in the west to the democratic republic of congo ( drc ) in the east . while it is thought that around 3 , 000 of the animals still live in scattered populations across its range , the few remaining ones in garamba are thought to be the last of the subspecies living in the entire drc .
diet : giraffes are browsing ungulates , feeding almost exclusively on the new shoots of shrubs and trees . acacia trees are by far their favourite food source , the leaves being stripped from their thorny branches with the assistance of the giraffe’s long prehensile tongue and lips .
little wildlife data has been collected between 1983 and 2005 . however , this subspecies’ name serves as a reminder of a time of abundance past . named after a former province in sudan , a researcher suggested in 1931 that kordofan giraffes were common throughout the sudan as far as northern darfur . sadly , a
africa ' s garamba park was once home to 500 northern white rhinos , more than 20 , 000 elephants and 350 giraffes . today the rhinos have been wiped out , there are less than 1 , 500 elephants and just 38 kordofan giraffes ( pictured ) remain in a region plagued with regional conflict , tough terrain and isolation
but hamlin’s exhilaration at seeing and photographing the giraffes didn’t last long . twelve hours later rangers reported hearing gunshots , and they later discovered three bullet - riddled giraffe carcasses rotting in the sun . “it was horrible for me and the team , ” hamlin says—”the crushing realization that most likely it was these guys , the ones we’d seen . ”
giraffes have the same number of bones in their neck as humans do . baby giraffes are about 6 feet tall when they are born . they are one of the few animals born with horns . the okapi is a close relative of the giraffe making up the giraffidae family . they only sleep for a few minutes at a time . their heart weighs approximately 24 pounds .
the second - oldest national park in africa , garamba national park in the democratic republic of congo used to be teeming with wildlife . it was once home to 500 northern white rhinos , over 20 , 000 elephants , and 350 kordofan giraffes . but 40 years later , the park is in a different state . wracked by chronic insecurity , armed conflict and the eternal threat of poachers , the wildlife is paying the price .
“ [ the petition’s ] call - to - action contends that congo is under extreme financial and political distress from caring for the many refugees ‘pouring in from south sudan , ’ and does not have the means to safeguard the remaining 38 giraffes from extinction , ” explains environews . garamba was already a resource - deprived park , but the petition’s authors say hungry sudanese refugees wouldn’t think twice about killing a giraffe for its flavorful meat .
“this is one of the most trouble - ridden parts of africa , ” chris thouless , who works for save the elephants , a conservation organization that aims to protect the animals , told afp . “simply , garamba & apos ; s survival is an absolute miracle . ” today , there are no northern white rhinos left in the park ( with the only three surviving northern white rhinos living in kenya ) , the elephant population has been decimated to 1 , 500 individuals , and the kordofan giraffes are on the brink with just 38 individuals , according to a new census .
habitat : giraffes roam over large areas of bush and savannah areas , living often in semi - desert regions where they get most of their water from their food . like camels , they are able to go long periods of time without a drink and usually drink every 2 - 3 days . to get a drink they have to splay their forelegs to reach the water . the same is true of the okapi , disproving the idea that the giraffe ' s extra long neck and legs are the reason they must drink this way .
phase ii will begin early next year , when the dry season returns , and will involve tracking individual giraffe to add to the society’s spot pattern database ( used for individual recognition ) and to boost our knowledge of their use of the habitat , the foods they prefer to eat and their social structure . we will also continue to support the conservation service by providing basic kit , such as uniforms , boots and socks , water filters and other field equipment – it is hoped this will make their job of patrolling the park easier and help to stop illegal activities such as cattle herding , poaching and gold mining .
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd xhtml 1 . 0 transitional / / en
/ / urltoken
africa ' s garamba park was once home to 500 northern white rhinos , more than 20 , 000 elephants and 350 giraffes .
the situation is so dire , that if the park loses just five more of the tiny , rare giraffes , they will be unable to sustain themselves and would ultimately face extinction .
' this is one of the most trouble - ridden parts of africa , ' said chris thouless of save the elephants , a conservation organisation . ' simply , garamba ' s survival is an absolute miracle . '
when vet pete morkel first visited garamba to put tracking collars on northern white rhinos in the 1990s , it was a different place .
how to tell when felines aren ' t feeling fine : researchers . . .
male sand martin birds are filmed trying to mate with a dead . . .
' it was quite easy to see rhinos , there was a lot more elephant , a lot more hippo , just a lot more of everything , ' said the 55 - year old namibian vet .
there are an estimated 34 adult giraffes in garamba park , split between two herds , with four young calves between them .
their skin is used for luxury goods and they produce enough meat to feed poachers for ' weeks ' the experts claim .
in february last year , he put radio tracking collars on elephants and giraffes , darting the animals from a hovering helicopter .
eight giraffes and 28 elephants now have collars enabling conservationists to monitor their every movement and park rangers to track their whereabouts .
when conservation non - profit african parks took over management of garamba in 2005 , it was too late to save the northern white rhino , now the struggle is to protect what ' s left .
garamba was established in 1938 , making it the continent ' s second oldest park after virunga to the south . in 1980 garamba was made a world heritage site , but a quarter of a century later the rhinos the designation was intended to protect were gone
in february last year , conservationists put radio tracking collars on elephants and giraffes , darting the animals from a hovering helicopter . eight giraffes and 28 elephants now have collars enabling the experts to monitor their every movement and park rangers to track their whereabouts
garamba was established in 1938 , making it the continent ' s second oldest park after virunga to the south .
old black and white photographs are all that remains of a once famous elephant domestication programme .
they show white men in pith helmets sitting on an elephant - drawn plough , or regal upon a horse in sparkling jodhpurs with elephants and locals lined up in neat rows on either side like a coronation scene from jean de brunhoff ' s cartoon ' babar ' .
in 1980 garamba was made a world heritage site , but a quarter of a century later the rhinos the designation was intended to protect were gone .
today the presence of vehicles and people is rare - and because of poachers , sometimes deadly - so the animals are ' skittish ' .
the park costs around $ 3 million ( 2 . 7 million euros ) a year to run , much of that donated by the european union , so conservationists are considering other schemes to help fund garamba , such as a hydroelectric dam on one of the park ' s many rivers , selling power to nearby mining operations
today the presence of vehicles and people is rare - and because of poachers , sometimes deadly - so the animals are ' skittish ' . a young female elephant lies sedated as garamba national park rangers attach a gps collar to track her movements
the park costs around $ 3 million ( 2 . 7 million euros ) a year to run , much of that donated by the european union , so conservationists are considering other schemes to help fund garamba , such as a hydroelectric dam on one of the park ' s many rivers , selling power to nearby mining operations .
' there ' s been a massive improvement in law enforcement within garamba but elephants are still being killed at an unsustainable rate , ' said thouless .
he manages the elephant crisis fund , which was kick - started by a million dollar donation from actor leonardo dicaprio in 2014 , and disburses emergency money to protect threatened elephant populations , including in garamba .
bottleneck of 700 , 000 migrants wait in libya to cross the . . .
' prostitutes , orgies , group sex - all of it ' : ex - wife of . . .
' we know where you live ' : angry protesters confront mitch . . .
police find the body of a missing four - month - old boy near . . .
the fashion designer ' s $ 24million party pad that no one . . .
' you broke your girl ' s heart ' : car racing legend craig . . .
money launderer caught with £250 , 000 cash in bin bags in . . .
don ' t kill the army of ants and wasps invading your home . . .
sydney tower skywalk was ' shut down due to unsafe winds ' . . .
step inside the tomb of queen nefertari : immersive vr experience reveals the 3 , 000 - year - old artwork of . . .
world ' s first floating nation begins selling its own ' vayron ' cryptocurrency ahead of 2022 launch in the . . .
being rich and successful really is in your dna : being dealt the right genes determines whether you get on . . .
snapchat is developing a ' visual image search ' that lets you point your camera at an item to see it on . . .
' like a symphony orchestra turned into light ' : iss astronaut captures lighting and auroras lighting up . . .
a new way to tackle climate change ? heat from underground rivers in london could help cut the capital ' s . . .
amazon is still selling nazi - branded merchandise , despite researchers first warning it about the products . . .
has kepler found its last alien world ? nasa reveals its planet hunting space telescope is about to run out . . .
mummified head of serial killer ' the vampire of dusseldorf ' who raped and murdered girls as young as four . . .
people who see themselves as albert einstein suddenly think they are smarter : being in the body of someone . . .
samsung opens the world ' s largest phone plant in india : 1 . 5 million square foot factory will produce 120 . . .
hailey baldwin and justin bieber passionately kiss in the bahamas . . . as news of engagement spreads
selena gomez is seen with same mystery man she was with in may . . . after news her ex justin bieber is engaged to hailey baldwin
khloe kardashian reveals she stopped breast - feeding daughter true . . . three months after giving birth
giuliana rancic takes a hike with bill . . . as the couple vacation with friends ahead of her return to e ! news
khloe kardashian shows off neon sign in true ' s nursery . . . as she reveals it ' s kris jenner ' s handwriting
ciara and husband russell wilson dance as they head to south africa for their honeymoon . . . two years after wedding
rapper del the funky homosapian falls off stage during gorillaz set . . . but he reassures fans he ' s ' alright ' as he recovers in hospital
makeup artist joyce bonelli reaches out to the kardashian clan on instagram . . . after the famous family ' fire ' and unfollow her on social media
daddy daycare ! jared kushner takes kids back to d . c . after weekend in new jersey - as ivanka dons a short dress for visit to a nyc asphalt company
sofia richie , 19 poses in a bikini top just after scott disick ' s ex kourtney kardashian , 39 , did the same . . . and fans call her out for it
naomi campbell wows in flamboyant feathered gown . . . while ashley graham sizzles in plunging lace dress as they walk in dolce & gabbana show in italy
naya rivera sells her five - bedroom la home for a cool $ 3 . 55 million after finalizing her divorce from ryan dorsey
mel b ' is unable to pay her back taxes amid ongoing divorce battle with stephen belafonte . . . as it ' s estimated the pair owe up to $ 650k ' to the irs
kylie jenner rocks curve - clinging attire as she shows off body . . . and considers going back to blonde
dakota johnson dons striped wrap dress in la . . . after calling co - star chris hemsworth ' spectacular '
cardi b hits back at troll who mocked her baby shower . . . as she shows off naked baby bump for photoshoot
buy your own celebrity hideaway ! castle adored by michael douglas and jack nicholson goes on sale for $ 5 . 2m ( and even comes with treehouse )
ant - man and the wasp soars to $ 76 million on opening weekend . . . beating its prequel by $ 19 million
liam payne and cheryl split : carefree 1d star returns to stage for first time since break - up . . . as he poses happily with his backing dancers in france
tristan thompson goes house hunting alone as he checks out $ 2m property in la with its own basketball court . . . just minutes from khloe ' s mansion
chris hemsworth kicks off filming for the star - studded men in black spin - off as he cuts a sharp figure in london . . . 21 years after the first film hit screens
jill zarin admits she ' s ready to date again after being spotted with handsome businessman . . . following beloved husband bobby ' s death
dj khaled cancels wireless performance due to ' travel issues ' just hours before his slot . . . as fans rage over his ' vacation ' snap
13 reasons why villain justin prentice says he ' s not bothered by social media trolls . . . and that getting attacked online means he ' s doing his job as an actor
farm heroes saga , the # 4 game on itunes . play it now !
it ' s eye - wateringly expensive at $ 2 , 999 , but naim ' s uniti atom is a revelation , an integrated amplifier than makes it easy to stream music at a quality you ' ve probably never heard before .
after a day with the iphone x , while face id isn ' t perfect , and the ' notch ' is an annoyance , the iphone x is a glimpse into the future of phones and the best handset of the market by a long way .
they aren ' t cheap , but shinola ' s $ 595 foray into headphones are the perfect accessory for design obsessives looking to upgrade their listening habits .
with the pixel xl , google has created a handset that is not only the best android device out there , but arguably matches the iphone 8 in terms of design and feel .
apple ' s watch will free you from your phone - while making sure you don ' t suffer the fear of missing out . it ' s a huge step forward , and a compelling reason for the average user to buy a smartwatch .
while the iphone x may have stolen the headlines , in fact the iphone 8 could be the sleeper hit of apple ' s new range , offering the same power as the x but with features and a design users trust .
while the design is impressive and easy to use , the game line up is disappointing .
naim ' s incredible mu - so qb takes you back to the good old days - where the music captivates and enthralls , rather that simply being something in the background .
it might not be a name familiar to the us market , but naim is a legendary british brand hoping to make a splash with the american launch of its $ 1499 mu : so speaker .
peloton ' s hi - tech bike lets you stream live and on demand rides to your home - and it ' s one of the best examples of fitness technology out there - at a price .
this website uses cookies to improve functionality and performance . by continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our
originally ranging through cameroon , the central african republic , and sudan , the remaining kordofans are now sequestered in the democratic republic of congo’s garamba national park . approximately 350 kordofans roamed the drc only 20 years ago , but the numbers plunged to 86 by 2003 and then decreased to only 38 in 2016 .
“at the moment the ratio is one male to 2 . 4 females , which is still sustainable , ” aime balimbaki , the head of research and monitoring at garamba national park , tells the sunday express . “but if we have bad luck or if there is a serious menace – even if we lose just five giraffes – then the population may no longer be viable . ”
as of sunday , a petition to president barack obama titled “save the last 38 giraffes in congo” had received over 28 , 400 signatures .
“ [ the congo’s ] government likely cannot take on the additional expense of saving the last of its giraffes , ” reads the petition . “they need other nations to step up and provide conservationists with the money for better security against poachers , tracking collars , and other equipment they might need to track these wandering animals . the united states often helps other nations in times of need . ”
“it is heartbreaking that this has not gained the media attention it so deserves , ” says the uk - based charity spots and stripes . “to have a population of only 38 giraffes remaining in the congo is a disaster for both the species and for conservation . ”
and just because the remaining giraffes are under garamba’s protection doesn’t mean they are safe , explain conservationists .
and human - induced landscape changes have forced giraffes to roam far and wide to find an adequate food supply , especially in a national park that measures almost 2 , 000 square - miles . the petition asks president obama to fund tracking collars for the remaining 38 giraffes , in addition to salary pay so more park staff can be hired to protect the giraffes against both locals and sudanese refugees .
“this is one of the most trouble - ridden parts of africa , ” chris thouless of save the elephants told ctv news , referencing africa’s second - oldest national park . “simply , garamba’s survival is an absolute miracle . ”
despite the park’s warring neighbors , hungry poachers , and funding needs , the non - profit organization african parks that took over garamba’s management in 2005 , continues to fight for a brighter future for garamba and its residents .
we want to hear , did we miss an angle we should have covered ? should we come back to this topic ? or just give us a rating for this story . we want to hear from you .
. all rights reserved . terms under which this service is provided to you .
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd html 4 . 01 transitional / / en
urltoken
english - german online dictionary developed to help you share your knowledge with others . more information ! contains translations by tu chemnitz and mr honey ' s business dictionary ( german - english ) . thanks on that account ! links to this dictionary or to single translations are very welcome ! questions and answers
garamba national park ( pictured ) is the second - oldest national park in africa , and the last remaining home for giraffes in the democratic republic of congo . nuria ortega / wikimedia
garamba was once home to over 20 , 000 elephants . now , it is thought that just 1 , 500 survive . enough project / flickr cc by - nc - nd 2 . 0
the giraffes are split into two populations within the reserve , and those who work in garamba , which is run by the non - profit organization african parks , worry that if any more are killed , the population will no longer be sustainable and will slowly die out . in a bid to protect them , researchers have now attached radio collars to a number of the giraffes . it is hoped this will allow conservationists to “monitor their every movement , and park rangers to track their whereabouts , ” writes afp . not only that , but it should also help the special units assigned to protect the animals against poachers , who kill the animals for their meat and pelt .
protecting the giraffes in garamba is particularly a challenge . at around 12 , 400 square kilometers ( 4 , 800 square miles ) , defending the mosaic of rainforest and grassland that makes up the park is a thankless task , but one that the rangers are getting better at . the proportion of the park now under control and patrolled by rangers has increased from 30 percent to almost 100 percent today . but it has come at a cost , as rangers have been killed in action trying to protect the remaining wildlife .
this website uses cookies to improve user experience . by continuing to use our website you consent to all cookies in accordance with our cookie policy .
. african parks has , therefore , recently enlisted the help of the gcf to secure a sustainable future for them .
they are never in hock . their markings cover their inner legs but don’t go below the hocks .
hanks to improved management under african parks , numbers are increasing and the future for the species is starting to look positive . if it can survive a case of mistaken identity and outlive its own namesake , there’s hope for this special subspecies yet .
african parks is a non - profit organisation that takes on total responsibility for the rehabilitation and long - term management of national parks in partnership with governments , wildlife organisations and local communities . we operate seven national parks in six countries : zambia , malawi , the democratic republic of congo , the republic of congo , rwanda and chad . please see urltoken or visit our facebook page for more information .
stay up - to - date with our weekly magazine and best blog posts .
publisher we publish a premier online magazine , blog and printed annual coffee table yearbook for our sophisticated international audience . safari company tailored safari specialists . when and where to go in africa , and with whom . a few weeks too early / late or a few kilometers off course and you could miss the greatest show on earth . and wouldn’t that be a pity ?
on our way… ( blog post written by will walker on 5 . 2 . 17 )
we have finally arrived in bénoué national park . what we believed would be an eight hour car journey from the capital , yaoundé , turned out to be a 24 - hour journey , spread over two days . the drive up took us right though the country , passing rural villages , towns and cities ( where we stopped to buy food and provisions for our stay in bénoué ) , through forested areas , mountain highlands and more open woodlands . the simple life of rural africa is something that i find beautiful . collections of mud - brick and thatched - roofed buildings , where children play with toys made from things we would throw away , where the women meet , talk and laugh at the well to collect water , or sell fruit or honey on the roadside , and where the elders sit around together outside a few of the huts . every time i come back to africa , part of me never wants to leave .
unlike east africa where children run to the side of the road to wave at the tourists , and where foreigners are in abundance , here it seemed that these people had hardly seen tourists . unfortunately tourism in the northern part of the country is now almost non - existent . at bénoué national park they only have around 100 overseas tourists a year and in some of the other parks they haven’t seen tourists in three years . people seemed generally curious of us as we were all packed into the back of a toyota hilux , and with a massive amount of luggage topped with potatoes , pineapples , rice , honey , as well as anything else we decided to buy on the way to the north .
from the turn - off to the national park we bounced along a very rutted and bumpy dirt road . there are only about 50km of dirt roads that are usable inside the 1800 km 2 national park and this one is the main one ! not sure what the conditions of the other roads are going to be like . it was dark by the time we got to the camp and the bénoué headquarters .
the camp itself is made up of about eight circular buildings , where guests sleep , and a main communal area , where the bar and food would be served . on arrival to my room i foolishly tried to turn on the lights . the guy who showed me to my room laughed and went on to light a candle . there is no electricity or running water in the camp . no tourists mean that things have deteriorated quite a bit . we ate dinner together and all retired to bed not long after . it has been an exhausting few days and we have a four day workshop to run , starting in the morning .
bristol zoological society ltd , clifton , bristol bs8 3ha . company registered in england reg . no . 5154176 . charity reg . no . 1104986
description : giraffes are long - necked browsing animals that taxonomists place in a separate family , giraffidae , from other artiodactylids : camels , deer and bovines . possessing only seven cervical vertebrae ( like other mammals ) , giraffes , at almost 19 feet , are the tallest of all mammals . adult males weigh as much as 4 , 000 lbs . they are characterized by having two knobs , called ossicones , on their head . some individuals may have additional bumps on the sides of their skulls that are irregularly located . unlike antlers on deer or horns on bovids , ossicones are permanently covered by hair and never shed . after a gestation of 15 months , females give birth to a single young ; twins occur rarely . adults are not territorial but rather feed over a large
roaming
area . when alarmed , giraffes can reach speeds of 30 to 36 miles per hour . unlike most mammals giraffes walk using both legs from the same side of the body simultaneously . when they gallop they move both fore legs and both hind legs together , and because of its long stride is faster than it appears .
female ' s horns are thin and tufted ; male ' s are thick and bald on top , their horns can be up to 5 inches long .
the color varies from brown to a rich chestnut ( old males are darker , even black ) .
although usually quiet , giraffes are not voiceless as the common myth leads us to believe , but instead can produce snorting or moaning noises , particularly when there is danger . they have a good sense of smell , hearing and excellent vision enabling them to see miles away .
social organization : giraffes are sociable , tolerant animals living in small groups to large herds or coalitions of familiar cows and calves which number from 12 to 15 animals . although gregarious , group structure is constantly changing to some degree due to individuals’ overlapping home ranges . including a surrounding
buffer zone
, female home ranges may be as large as 46 sq . miles . home ranges of adult bulls are smaller . there is no apparent dominance among females but adult males display absolute hierarchy within their home ranges .
documentary filmmaker david hamlin recalls the adrenalin rush when he was flying over the democratic republic of the congo’s garamba national park in late june and spotted three giraffes standing in a small clearing . “seeing these giraffes from the air was really exciting , ” says hamlin , who was on assignment for national geographic . “seeing them anywhere is really exciting . ”
that’s because garamba is huge , sprawling over nearly 2 , 000 square miles ( 5 , 180 square kilometers ) of mostly forested land , and it ' s a rare , lucky event to come across any of its 40 remaining giraffes .
hamlin decided to document the aftermath of the tragedy ( watch the video above ) to raise awareness about poaching in the park , which is managed by the nonprofit organization african parks in association with the congolese institute for the conservation of nature , a government agency .
a group of rare giraffes roam the democratic republic of the congo’s garamba national park .
congolese usually kill the giraffes for one body part : their tails , considered a status symbol in some communities . meanwhile men from neighboring south sudan target the giraffes for their meat to feed impoverished villagers . but the massive bodies ( giraffes can grow to 18 feet and weigh up to 3 , 000 pounds ) of the three giraffes were intact—only the ends of their tails were missing .
according to leon lamprecht , joint operations director for african parks , men “use the tail as a dowry to the bride’s father if they want to ask for the hand of a bride . ” the long black hairs are often turned into fly whisks .
one of the dead giraffes had a satellite collar and was being monitored by garamba’s rangers . “what an absolute waste , ” lamprecht says .
this story was produced by national geographic’s special investigations unit , which focuses on wildlife crime and is made possible by grants from the band foundation and the woodtiger fund . read more stories from the siu on wildlife watch . send tips , feedback , and story ideas to ngwildlife @ urltoken .