As we all know, our planet is home to many interesting creatures. Giraffes, known for their long necks, are among these creatures. One of the most curious subjects is why giraffes have such long necks. According to popular belief, giraffes, the tallest land animals, have long necks, reaching for food on tall tree leaves.
Other theories state that this is due to sexual selection. Accordingly, the competition between male giraffes caused their necks to lengthen. Scientists conducting a new study that has been published also think that the remains of extinct giraffe species can shed light on these evolutionary mechanisms.
The use of necks for fighting may have led to modern giraffes
The authors of the study stated that the long necks of modern giraffes may have their origins in competition for mates. Accordingly, these wild animals fought each other head-butting for their mates. Experts also stated that these ‘head fights’ can be effective on long necks.
The research team led by Shi-Qi Wang discovered a fossil called Discokeryx xiezhi, which lived about 17 million years ago. This animal, a new species of giraffe, was found to have a helmet-like head and complex head and neck joints. According to the researchers, these traits indicate an adaptation for violent head-banging behavior.
The findings reveal that giraffes use their heads as a weapon against other males to compete for mates. To elaborate a little further, those with longer necks may have gained the upper hand as a result of the sexual competition between these creatures. The use of necks in fights may also have contributed to the fact that these organs of later generations were longer and ultimately to the formation of today’s giraffes.
As a result, scientists say that the evolution of these enormous creatures is much more complex than is known. Research results also reveal that, in addition to competition for food, sexual struggle played a key role in their evolution.
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