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What is a giraffes adaptation for breathing?
Lungs. Nestled within the giraffe’s long neck is a 12-foot trachea. When the giraffe inhales fresh air, it’s impossible for it to fully expel the previous breath, resulting in oxygen-depleted air being trapped in the trachea. The giraffe compensates for this problem with a slow respiratory rate and oversized lungs.
Do giraffes have big lungs?
“The giraffe’s lungs are eight times the size of those of humans, and its respiratory rate is about one-third that of humans. Breathing more slowly is necessary in order to exchange the required large volume of air without causing windburn to the giraffe’s rippled 3.6 metres (12 feet) of trachea.
How does a giraffe’s circulatory system work?
Instead, the giraffe has a relatively small heart (relative to the size of the animal) and its power comes from a very strong beat as a result of the incredibly thick walls of the left ventricle. The right ventricle pumps the blood a short distance to the lungs, and the muscle is about 1 cm thick.
How many brains does a giraffe have?
The three brains of the adult male giraffes weighted respectively 722.7, 766.1 and 770.4 g, with a mean of 753.1 ± 15.23 g (Table 1). The body weights were similar with an average weight of 703.3 ± 50.4 kg.
How do giraffes control blood pressure?
And to compensate for the high blood pressure, blood vessels constrict and expand to maintain volume. Giraffes wear natural compression socks on their necks and legs in the form of very tight skin. This keeps blood moving back up to the heart instead of pooling in their legs.
Do giraffe arteries have valves?
A giraffe’s large neck veins contain a complex system of valves that stop the blood from flowing backward and pooling when it dips its head, which can be a full 20 feet differential from upright in a full-grown giraffe. Humans would pass out if they tried that trick.
What happens when a giraffe breathes oxygen?
When a giraffe breathes oxygen into the body, the air travels down the trachea and into the lungs. The lungs fill up with oxygen, and the giraffe’s circulatory system takes this much-needed gas to the rest of the giraffe’s body.
How does a giraffe’s heart work?
The left ventricle has to pump the blood all the way up to the head against the hydrostatic pressure of the blood already in the long vertical artery. A giraffe’s heart has evolved to have thick muscle walls and a small radius giving it great power to overcome this pressure.
Why do giraffes drink water from their heads?
Another fascinating thing about the giraffe’s body, then, is that when the giraffe lowers its head to get a drink of water, it does not actually blow its top. The giraffe has reinforced artery walls, bypass and anti-pooling a net of little arteries, valves, and sensors that give the brain just enough oxygen -rich blood.
How many gallons of air does a giraffe hold?
A person’s average total lung capacity is 1.59 gallons, whereas a giraffe can hold 12 gallons of air. So, one can imagine the enormity of these giant beings.