SPECIES PROFILE

Name: the giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) is the tallest animal in the world. Traditionally there is only considered to be one species of giraffe although some scientists have proposed that there are actually eight different species based on studies of their DNA.

Appearance: giraffes are unmistakably recognised by their extremely long necks. Their coats are usually a white or cream colour covered with orange, brown, or black splotches which provides camouflague in the savannah woodlands.

Size: fully grown giraffes can reach between 4.3 and 5.7 metres tall and weigh around 1.2 tonnes. The tallest ever recorded giraffe reached 5.9 metres!

Diet: they mainly eat the leaves, fruits, and flowers of woody plants which they browse at heights most other herbivores cannot reach.

Did you know: giraffes’ necks can reach up to 2.4 metres long and can make up more than half of their total height. As well being used to access hard to reach food, males use them to fight for for access to females during mating season. In addition to their long necks, giraffes also have tongues reaching around 45 cm long. They are a purple black colour to protect against sunburn – and are used to grasp leaves as well as for cleaning their noses!

Location: giraffes can be found in savannahs and woodlands across Africa – from Chad in the north to South Africa in the south, and from Niger in the west to Somalia in the east.

Where TO SEE Giraffes

According to reports submitted to WildSide, you can see giraffes at the following places:

Photo credit: AndreasGoellner under a Creative Commons licence from Pixabay