Giraffe up. The calf emerges head and front legs first, having broken through the fetal membranes, and falls to the ground, severing the umbilical cord. The mother then grooms the newborn and helps it stand up. A newborn giraffe is tall. Within a few hours of birth, the calf can run around and is almost indistinguishable from a one-week-old. However, for the first 1–3 weeks, it spends most of its time hiding; its coat pattern providing camouflage. The ossicones, which have lain flat while it was in the womb, become erect within a few days. Mothers with calves will gather in
Giraffe ratio of small to large intestine. The liver of the giraffe is small and compact. A gallbladder is generally present during fetal life, but it may disappear before birth. Giraffes usually inhabit savannahs and open woodlands. They prefer Acacieae, "Commiphora", "Combretum" and open "Terminalia" woodlands over denser environments like "Brachystegia" woodlands. The Angolan giraffe can be found in desert environments. Giraffes browse on the twigs of trees, preferring trees of the subfamily Acacieae and the genera "Commiphora" and "Terminalia", which are important sources of calcium and protein to sustain the giraffe's growth rate. They also feed on shrubs, grass and