Facts about Giraffes

Top Giraffe Facts

You may be saying that there aren’t too many facts that you could learn about giraffes but there is much more to them than meets the eye. It is the physical characteristics of the giraffe that most people readily identify with. Once you have read through these giraffe facts though you will be more appreciative of them and you can share that information with others the next time you see one.

The giraffe is the tallest animal in the world. The average for them is between 14 and 17 feet. However, the tallest one ever recorded was right at 20 feet tall!

Did you know that the giraffe is related in many ways to the deer and to cows?

Both males and females have horns. Many people assume that only the males do. The ones on females aren’t as long but they all have them. Also, the females grow hair on the top of them while the males don’t.

Giraffes have 7 vertebrae in their necks which gives them the flexibility of a wide range of movement with it.

Giraffes are extremely fast. Their front legs are about 10% longer than their back legs. However, they can only run for a short period of time which is why it is extremely difficult for them to outrun predators. However, they are very hard forms of prey for even the big cats so don’t underestimate their power.

The heart of the giraffe is about 22 pounds and 2 feet long.

It isn’t uncommon to see giraffes interacting with other animals in the wild including zebras. Experts believe this is because the giraffes can see for a long way, and due to their height in areas where those other animals can’t. This second pair of eyes helps them to get an early warning of potential predators in the area.

Female giraffes give birth standing up and their young may drop several feet to the ground as they are being born. They are protected by the sac though and this keeps them from being harmed during that process. A newborn is about 6 feet tall!

The spots on the bodies of giraffes offer them some protection in the wild. The camouflage from it blends in well with the African background. Those spots can also be confusing to predators.

A giraffe will consume between 15 and 65 pounds of food each day in the form of leaves, grass, and twigs. They will consume the higher end of it should it be readily available than on the ground. They will consume large amounts of water when there is little food to satisfy themselves.

The tongue of a giraffe is about 18 inches in length. In addition, they can also bend it to grasp items and to hang onto them. They are more likely to engage in such behaviors though in captivity than in the wild.

Giraffes only need about 2 hours of sleep each day. Some of them have been noted to sleep at intervals of no more than 10 minutes at a time.

Giraffes do make some types of vocalization which many people have never heard. They include low meows and loud coughing sounds. They also make some that sound very close to what cows offer.

It may surprise you to learn that humans often hunt giraffes for their tails, their hides, and to consume the meat of.

Giraffes can go for several weeks without drinking water during the drought season. This is a huge advantage that they have over other animals. There is usually still enough water in the leaves of the food they consume to take care of that need for them.