Rothschild's giraffe.
FZ200
Giraffes are equipped with a heart the size of a basketball which pumps the blood all the way to the brain, assisted by some sophisticated plumbing, a series of one–way valves that ensure no backflow between heartbeats. Giraffes have few enemies. They can run at over 50 kph, sufficient to out–run most predators. If cornered, they can kick with great power. They can also use their heads as battering rams. Despite their huge size, giraffes are superbly camouflaged. When they feed, their dappled colours mimic the interplay of sunlight through leaves and branches. Young are born after a gestation period of 15 months. Females give birth standing up, so the calf has an awkward 2 metre fall to the ground! Original public domain image from Flickr