# Giraffes (*Giraffa*) Giraffes are the tallest animals on Earth! They have long necks and legs, which help them reach leaves high up in trees. Their unique spots help them blend in with the trees and grass. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Savannas - **Also known as:** Giraffe ![Giraffes](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771425784/objects/3733.jpg) ## Appearance The Giraffe has an incredibly long neck and legs, making it the tallest land animal. Its coat features a unique, irregular pattern of brown or reddish-brown patches separated by creamy white lines. Two fur-covered horns, called ossicones, top its head. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Artiodactyla - **Family:** Giraffidae - **Genus:** Giraffa ## Interesting facts - A giraffe's tongue can be 20 inches long and is a dark blue color! - Baby giraffes drop over 6 feet to the ground when they are born! - Even with their super long necks, giraffes only have seven neck bones, just like humans! - Giraffes have 'ossicones' on their heads, which are fur-covered, not true horns! ## Special abilities - **High-Rise Lookout:** Giraffes can spot predators from great distances because their towering height gives them an unmatched vantage point over the savanna. - **Thorny Tree Feeder:** Giraffes have a tough mouth and long, prehensile tongue that allows them to eat spiky leaves from acacia trees safely. - **Standing Napper:** Giraffes can take quick naps standing up, a useful trait to stay alert for danger on the open plains. - **Hearty Pump:** Giraffes has a powerful heart that pumps blood all the way up their incredibly long neck to their brain. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 430-570 cm - **Weight:** 800-1900 kg - **Lifespan:** 20-28 years - **Speed:** 60 km/h - **Litter Size:** 1 - **Gestation:** 400-460 days ## Diet & Feeding These gentle giants munch on leaves, shoots, and fruits high up in trees with their long necks! - **Primary Foods:** Acacia leaves, Combretum leaves, Mimosa shoots, fruits - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Lion (*Panthera leo*) — Adults are prey, especially for large prides. - **Eaten by:** [Spotted Hyena](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-hyena) (*Crocuta crocuta*) — Pups and injured adults can be targeted by clans. - **Depends on:** Acacia Tree (*Vachellia tortilis*) — Giraffes heavily browse its leaves and shoots for food. - **Symbiotic with:** Yellow-billed Oxpecker (*Buphagus africanus*) — Birds eat ticks and parasites from giraffe's skin. ## 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. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Savanna](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/savanna): This habitat trait denotes species native to savannas, which are grasslands with scattered trees, typically found in tropical or subtropical regions with distinct wet and dry seasons. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Giant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/giant): Giant describes organisms or objects of significantly larger size than average for their species or type. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Giraffes are gentle giants, but it's best to watch them from a safe distance. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Giraffes? 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 Giraffes? 430-570 cm ### How much does Giraffes weigh? 800-1900 kg ### How long does Giraffes live? 20-28 years ### How fast can Giraffes move? 60 km/h ### What does Giraffes eat? These gentle giants munch on leaves, shoots, and fruits high up in trees with their long necks! ### Where is Giraffes usually found? Savannas ### How does Giraffes hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Abilene Zoological Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/abilene-zoological-gardens) — Texas, US · Zoo - [Brevard Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brevard-zoo) — Florida, US · Zoo - [Bronx Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bronx-zoo) — New York, US · Zoo - [Buffalo Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/buffalo-zoo) — New York, US · Zoo - [Cotswold Wildlife Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cotswold-wildlife-park) — England, GB · Zoo - [Detroit Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/detroit-zoo) — Michigan, US · Zoo [View all places to see Giraffes](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/giraffes) ## Watch - [Play video: Giraffes](https://www.snappit.app/videos/giraffes) - [YouTube](https://youtube.com/watch?v=vJyjicMZVj4) ## 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: [Giraffes: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/giraffes)