The giraffe, with its elongated neck and legs, is among the most graceful and distinctive animals in Africa. Observing these gentle giants in their natural surroundings is an awe-inspiring experience. Giraffes are fascinating creatures, and there’s much to learn about them that only adds to their allure. Here are our top favourite giraffe facts.
The Tallest Land Animals On Earth
Giraffes hold the title for the tallest mammals on Earth. These gentle giants stand as the tallest land animals on the planet, with females reaching heights of up to 14 feet and males towering at a staggering 18 feet tall!
Their long necks are made up of only seven vertebrae, which are elongated to enable them to reach leaves high up in trees. Despite the length of their necks, giraffes have the same number of neck vertebrae as most other mammals, including humans.
Giraffes’ towering height provides a significant advantage in their natural environment, as it allows them to keep a vigilant lookout for predators such as lions and hyenas. In addition to their impressive height, giraffes possess exceptional eyesight, which enables them to detect potential threats from great distances, further aiding in their survival.
Their Unique Spotted Coats
Giraffes are also known for their unique spotted coat, which is made up of irregularly shaped patches that are as individual as fingerprints. The colour of their spots can range from a light tan to a dark reddish-brown, and the pattern can vary depending on the subspecies.
Giraffes Are Incredibly Agile Creatures
They are capable of standing and running within a remarkably short time after being born. After birth, it takes only around half an hour for a giraffe to stand up and take its first steps. Furthermore, giraffes are remarkably quick learners, and within just ten hours of being born, they can run at impressive speeds. This incredible ability allows them to keep up with their mothers and avoid predators in their natural habitats.
Giraffes’ towering height provides a significant advantage in their natural environment, as it allows them to keep a vigilant lookout for predators such as lions and hyenas. Giraffes possess exceptional eyesight, which enables them to detect potential threats from great distances, further aiding in their survival. Now that kind of long distance sight would help when looking at PGA golf betting odds as it would make predicting a winner easier
Facts About Giraffes’ Tongues
Giraffes possess some interesting and unique features, including their remarkable tongues. These tongues can reach up to an impressive length of 50 centimetres, making them one of the longest tongues in the animal kingdom.
What’s more, giraffe tongues are deep purple in colour owing to the presence of dark melanin pigment, which provides them with additional UV protection when the giraffes spend long hours stretching their tongues to reach leaves at the tops of trees.
Giraffes Don’t Drink A Lot
Giraffes have remarkably long necks, but they are not long enough to reach the ground. As a result, when they need to drink water, they must resort to awkwardly spreading their legs or kneeling down to reach it. This leaves them vulnerable to predators, making drinking a risky activity for these gentle giants. However, giraffes are fortunate in that they don’t require a lot of water to survive.
