# Angolan Giraffe (*giraffa giraffa angolensis*) The Angolan Giraffe is the tallest animal in the world! With its long neck, it can reach leaves high up in trees that other animals can't. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Savannas and woodlands of Angola and neighboring countries. - **Also known as:** Angola Giraffe, Southern Giraffe ![Angolan Giraffe](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/015a_Angolan_giraffe_silhouette_at_sunrise_in_the_Kalahari_Desert_of_Namibia_Photo_by_Giles_Laurent.jpg&width=800) Photo: Giles Laurent, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:015a_Angolan_giraffe_silhouette_at_sunrise_in_the_Kalahari_Desert_of_Namibia_Photo_by_Giles_Laurent.jpg) ## Appearance The Angolan Giraffe has a pale, sandy-yellow coat covered in large, irregularly shaped brown spots with jagged edges. These distinct patterns extend down their legs, which often have an unspotted, lighter lower section, setting them apart visually. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Artiodactyla - **Family:** Giraffidae - **Genus:** Giraffa ## Interesting facts - A giraffe's neck is too short to reach the ground, so they splay their front legs to drink! - Angolan Giraffes only sleep for short naps, usually standing up, for a few hours daily. - Newborn Angolan Giraffes can stand and even run within just an hour of birth. - Their enormous heart can pump 60 liters of blood per minute to reach their brain! ## Special abilities - **Super Tall Spyglass:** Angolan Giraffe has incredible eyesight and height that helps them spot predators or other giraffes from far distances across the savanna. - **Thorny Snack Snatcher:** Angolan Giraffe can grab tough, thorny leaves with its long (up to 45cm), prehensile tongue because it's strong and protected, reaching high branches safely. - **Efficient Plant Processor:** Angolan Giraffe has a four-chambered stomach that helps them efficiently digest fibrous plant material, extracting maximum nutrients from their leafy diet. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 400-550 cm - **Weight:** 700-1930 kg - **Lifespan:** 15-25 years - **Speed:** 60 km/h - **Litter Size:** 1 - **Gestation:** 400-460 days ## Diet & Feeding These tall giants munch on leaves, shoots, and fruits from various trees and shrubs, especially acacias. - **Age differences:** Calves primarily drink milk for several months, gradually beginning to browse on leaves and shoots as they mature. - **Primary Foods:** Acacia leaves, Combretum leaves, Grewia leaves, Mopane leaves, Kalahari apple-leaf - **Foraging Method:** Grazing ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Lion (*Panthera leo*) — Main predator, especially of calves. - **Eaten by:** [Spotted Hyena](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-hyena) (*Crocuta crocuta*) — Often preys on young or vulnerable giraffes. - **Eats:** Camel Thorn Tree (*Acacia erioloba*) — A primary food source in their habitat. - **Eats:** Leadwood Tree (*Combretum imberbe*) — They browse on its leaves and shoots. ## Traits - [Spotted](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spotted): Marked with spots or patches of a different color. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always observe wild animals from a safe distance. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Angolan Giraffe? Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Angolan Giraffe? 400-550 cm ### How much does Angolan Giraffe weigh? 700-1930 kg ### How long does Angolan Giraffe live? 15-25 years ### How fast can Angolan Giraffe move? 60 km/h ### What does Angolan Giraffe eat? These tall giants munch on leaves, shoots, and fruits from various trees and shrubs, especially acacias. ### Where is Angolan Giraffe usually found? Savannas and woodlands of Angola and neighboring countries. ### How does Angolan Giraffe hunt? Grazing ## Where to spot - [Zoo Dortmund](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/zoo-dortmund) — North Rhine-Westphalia, DE · Zoo - [Selwo Aventura](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/selwo-aventura) — Andalusia, ES · Zoo ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) --- Source: [Angolan Giraffe: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/angolan-giraffe)