Hunting and Trapping Stories; a Book for Boys/Stories of Giraffes

by J. P. Hyde Price

The giraffe is a peaceable animal. One has only to look into its beautiful dark eyes to see that. Its weapons of defense consist of its long legs and neck. The legs carry their master off at a great rate when danger is near, while the long neck raises the head, like a tower from which it can always watch out for enemies. The long neck of the giraffe is necessary so it can reach its food, for it feeds mainly on mimosa leaves, which grow some fifteen feet or more from the ground.

The tongue of the giraffe is a wonderful organ. It is long and very flexible. The creature seems to allow its tongue to come out between tightly compressed lips, then rubs it around any leaves or twigs, which are carried into its mouth. The giraffe eats food from the ground with great difficulty. In fact, it never tries to unless there is no food to be had anywhere else. When attempting to pick up anything near its feet the giraffe straddles its legs far apart and cranes it neck down making a complete triangle of itself.

The giraffe is not the only sort of animal in which one expects to find much pluck. But sometimes, especially when it sees its young in danger the giraffe will attack its enemies fiercely.

On one occasion a herd of giraffes had come down to a swamp to drink, and while there a crocodile that was hidden in the mud suddenly seized a little baby giraffe by the foreleg and started to drag it toward the water. The old giraffes attacked the crocodile vigorously, kicking it and trying to prevent its backing away from the land. In spite of the soft ground the giraffes were remarkably quick in getting out of the way of the flail-like blows of the crocodile's tail. Few people know that the crocodile has immense strength in its tail, and if it were to swing it squarely against the legs of any animal, such as an ox, they would without doubt be broken. But to return to the giraffes. The crocodile had succeeded in reaching the edge of the swampy water, dragging its victim with it. The poor parents were becoming frantic, when suddenly the male kicked the crocodile close to the eye, while the female gave it a kick in its ribs, and to avoid being rolled over the crocodile let go of its hold on the little giraffe's leg, who instantly scrambled out of harm's way.

The crocodile recovered itself, and angrily snapping its jaws, waddled off in the water in great disgust at having lost its prey.

The hunter who witnessed the fight sent a shot crashing through the crocodile's skull causing it to roll over on its side. The herd of giraffes ran off with lightning speed, but the little calf had been so badly mangled that it could only limp along. The old parents remained close to it, but it was

THE GIRAFFES KICKING OFF A CROCODILE

easy to see that they were wild with terror, not knowing what instant they might be shot too. However, the hunter did not fire at them.

Around the crocodile's body had already gathered a dozen vultures, patiently waiting until its struggles should cease before beginning their feast.

For so large an animal the giraffe, is very quick in its movements, and can jump forward, or halt without a moment's hesitation. Furthermore it shows a considerable cunning in face of danger.

A certain hunter relates an instance where he saw a giraffe swinging along at a sharp trot. As it passed between some trees a leopard sprang from a limb where it had been hiding. The leopard did not spring true, for it landed too high on the giraffe's neck. The giraffe seemed to stumble and fall to its knees, and the leopard was flung clear over its victim's head. The hunter in thinking the matter over afterwards decided that the giraffe had stumbled deliberately, hoping thereby to shake its enemy off.

The leopard is too small an animal to be always successful in attacking such large game as a giraffe, and while its claws are very sharp and powerful they may not hit a vital spot.

Without doubt the worst enemy of the giraffe is the lion. The defense of the giraffe is not of much avail against the weight, strength and claws of such a beast. Moreover, the lion is after all a coward and likes to tackle the easiest prey. The giraffe is a large creature and furnishes the lion with spring squarely on to a giraffe's back it is very liable to be kicked off. Tigers and lions always roar when they spring, hoping thereby to paralyze their victims with fright. A leopard, on the other hand, springs silently, which makes it more to be feared.

A hunter tells of seeing a full grown lion stalk a bull giraffe. The lion was careful to keep down wind from the giraffe, and as it crept closer it seemed to be just a shadow on the ground. The giraffe walked forward some hundred yards or more until a bush was between itself and the lion. This was the latter's opportunity, for it crept up within springing distance without being seen. The lion crouched, its muscles standing out, drawn tight with the tension, waiting its chance. Suddenly it sprang with a roar and gripped its victim close to the neck. The giraffe started off at a gallop but it was of no avail, for the lion had a firm hold and its powerful claws sank in deeper and deeper until from exhaustion caused by loss of blood the giraffe stumbled on its knees and fell over dead. The lion sprang lightly aside and stood looking at its handiwork.