Giraffe pelvis, though relatively short, has an ilium that is outspread at the upper ends. A giraffe has only two gaits: walking and galloping. Walking is done by moving the legs on one side of the body at the same time, then doing the same on the other side. When galloping, the hind legs move around the front legs before the latter move forward, and the tail will curl up. The animal relies on the forward and backward motions of its head and neck to maintain balance and the counter momentum while galloping. The giraffe can reach a sprint speed of
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