Giraffes

 

A couple of things are going on in this photo. 

First, the ubiquitous bush butt shot. The rear-angle view of animals is so common that a friend of mine has a series of animal bottoms framed and hung on her bathroom wall.  I have about a million bottom shots languishing on a flash drive, I hate to get rid of them, but I’m not sure what I should do with the backside collection.

Secondly, have a look at this trio of male giraffes. Elder, younger, and the one in the middle.  In this photo, the animals seem like pals. The three were playing rather than foraging on the treetops for food, so the sighting was special. Playing around to male giraffes looks like a neck-swinging dance and is weirdly elegant. The behavior is called “necking,” and it can cause damage if the play turns aggressive. It’s a dominance thing, a way to sort out who’s the boss of the females in the tower (or journey if they are moving). 

As it turns out, male giraffes, like human males, have testosterone. It’s what makes them male. But, unlike some homo sapien males, giraffes don’t fight that often. They are peaceful animals and will only confront another male when a female is involved. Mano a mano. Male giraffes don’t challenge others in bar fights, don’t kill people who don’t look like them, and they don’t start wars over money, power, or even over a female giraffe with the beauty of the likes of Helen of Troy. 

Another lesson from the animal world!

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