Thursday, September 16, 2010

The Exotic Giraffe!


The Exotic Giraffe!


The giraffe originates from Central Africa to Southern Africa where they usually inhabit savannas, grasslands, or open woodlands. However, when food is scarce they will venture into areas with denser vegetation.


People have been fascinated with this exotic wild animal for hundreds of years because they are the tallest of all land living animals. Giraffes often are seen in "Necking" contests to establish dominance and obtain access to sexually receptive females. Another function of necking is sexual, in which two giraffes caress and court each other


Giraffes can be seen in paintings, including the famous painting of a giraffe which was taken from Somalia to China in 1414. The giraffe was placed in a Ming Dynasty zoo. At one point the giraffe was associated with the mythical Qilin, and a derivative of that name (kirin) is still used as the word for giraffe in Japan, Taiwan, and Korea.


The Medici giraffe was a giraffe presented to Lorenzo de' Medici in 1486. It caused a great stir on its arrival in Florence, being reputedly the first living giraffe to be seen in Italy since the days of Ancient Rome. Another famous giraffe, called Zarafa, was brought from Africa to Paris in the early 1800s and kept in a menagerie for 18 years.


The Crabby Nook carries a very nice collection of Giraffe statues for your Home decorating, Office decor or a child's room. We now offer "Free Shipping" on most of our statues! These exotic animal statues make wonderful unique gifts.





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