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Why do giraffe have spots?

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Giraffe’s patches (spots) are first and foremost for camouflage. But underneath each patch lies a very sophisticated system of blood vessels.

Around each patch there is a quite large blood vessel that then branches off into smaller vessels underneath the patch.[/vc_column_text][image_with_animation image_url=”217″ alignment=”” animation=”Fade In” border_radius=”10px” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”][vc_column_text]A giraffe can send blood through these small branches into the middle of the patch in order to release heat through this system. Each patch acts as a thermal window to release body heat.[/vc_column_text][image_with_animation image_url=”216″ alignment=”” animation=”Fade In” border_radius=”10px” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”][vc_column_text]The left image below shows the patches of a giraffe and the one on the right shows the intensity of heat radiation. You can see that the patch pattern corresponds directly with the heat radiation pattern on the body of the giraffe.

All images from BBC 4 documentary ‘Inside Nature’s Giants – Giraffe’.[/vc_column_text][nectar_btn size=”small” button_style=”regular” button_color_2=”Accent-Color” icon_family=”none” url=”/facts/” text=”More Giraffe Facts” margin_top=”10″ margin_right=”10″][/vc_column][/vc_row]