What Are Giraffes Related To. Probably cows since both hogs and cattle are cloven-hooved animals, unlike the horse. They are ruminants, related to cows, goats and sheep. As to what cows eat, that question has already been answered in a separate question, which can be seen below in the Related questions section. Giraffes are the tallest of all land animals; males (bulls) may exceed 5.5 metres (18 feet) in height, and the tallest females (cows) are about 4.5 metres. As to what cows eat, that question has already been answered in a separate question, which can be seen below in the Related questions section. Giraffes and cows are both even-toed ungulate mammals. They’re classified as a species of the Artiodactyla order, along with about 220 other mammals. Ruminants including deer and antelope, as well as sheep, goats, cattle and their wild relatives, have thrived in many ecosystems around the globe. That means they are more closely related to each other than either of them is to the other mammals such as horses, cats, rats, elephants, monkeys and bats. This means that scientists must use other methods to determine if giraffes and cows are related. Most of the species in this order live in open habitats like grasslands and plains, but some live in forested areas. Cows are not predators, hence they do not have prey. The giraffes range extends … They're closer to cows than horses, The earliest giraffe was probably a tall deer. ... Are pigs more closely related to cows or horses? In fact, scientists have argued that dolphins and whales should be combined into the order Artiodactyla, which contains not only hippos, but also deer, camels, cows, pigs and giraffes. After mating, the cow will have a gestation period of around 14 months. In addition, they emit sounds that are similar to cow moos. Giraffes at Sacramento Zoo eat, play all day Giraffes are related to deer and cows. These animals (including Cows, Deer, Goats, and Hippos) are all herbivores and mostly live in grassland habitats. They are native to all of the continents except for Australia and Antarctica. Males establish social hierarchies through "necking", which are combat bouts where the neck is used as a weapon. Their most recent common ancestor lived sometime before that divide. In fact, scientists have argued that dolphins and whales should be combined into the order Artiodactyla, which contains not only hippos, but also deer, camels, cows, pigs and giraffes. Sheep, goats, and horses. The closest living relatives are actually the okapis. As we’ve seen, giraffes have fewer close relatives than a cow. Are Giraffes Descendants of Dinosaurs? They range in size from the tiny lesser mouse deer of Malaysia to the towering African giraffe. Meanwhile, giraffe milk is much higher in fat than cow’s milk – 12.5 percent compared to 3.5 percent. The genera of giraffe and okapi belong to the same family Giraffidae. Usually, the giraffe is a shy animal that tries to avoid confrontation. Even okapi and giraffes are not known to be able to breed. Of the proteins in giraffe and okapi genes, 19.4% are identical. This way, they notify each other if a predator is approaching. Giraffes eat most of the time and, like cows, regurgitate food and chew it as cud. The divergence of giraffe and okapi lineages dates to around 11.5 mya. And they have even-toed (split) hoofs, unlike horses, which have odd-toed hoofs. Female Giraffes are known as cows, while males are called bulls and baby Giraffes are calves. Yet, if you came across a whale humping a camel, you'd think it was weird. Asked in Giraffes What animals are closely related to a giraffe ? This provided cows are already familiar with these animals, and the number of horses are not equal to or more than the number of cows (or goats or sheep). The giraffe is related to deer and cattle, however, it is placed in a separate family, the Giraffidae, consisting only of the giraffe and its closest relative, the okapi. When looking at the pictures above, it’s easy to see why some people have thought that perhaps giraffes, with their long necks, are related to long-necked dinosaurs such as brachiosaurus. That means they are more closely related to each other than either of them is to the other mammals such as horses, cats, rats, elephants, monkeys and bats. A giraffe eats hundreds of pounds of leaves each week and must travel miles to find enough food.