Giraffe | Facts, Information, Habitat, Species, & Lifespan

Giraffes are one of the most fascinating and diverse animals on the planet. They are also the largest animals on the planet. They can be found growing wild in savannas on the African continent.

How tall is a Giraffes?

Giraffes are really giant animals. They can grow up to 17 feet tall and weigh up to 3,000 pounds. Male deer, called bulls, are usually larger than females, called cows. Babies aren’t exactly small either. A baby giraffe, called a calf, is 6 feet tall at birth! Giraffes also have big hearts. Their hearts can be up to 2 feet long and weigh more than 20 pounds. They need those big hearts to pump blood up their long necks.

Are Giraffes slow?

Giraffes, although unsightly, are actually quite agile and can run up to 30 miles per hour. Giraffes will fight if they have to, but will often try to outrun predators. They often outstrip predators because they have good eyesight and good territorial vision for their large size. In fact, other animals know how well giraffes see predators, so they hang out with giraffes and if they see giraffes start to worry or start to run away, they will also leave.

What do Giraffes eat?

Giraffes are herbivores, which means they eat plants rather than meat. They use their long necks and tongues (which can grow up to a meter and a half!) to nibble on leaves. Their favorite leaves come from the acacia tree. A typical adult giraffe eats more than 70 pounds of leaves, twigs, and fruit each day.

Giraffes do not need to drink water often because there is a lot of water in the leaves they eat. However, when it comes to drinking water, they can drink several gallons at a time. This is good because a giraffe has to bend down and put itself in a vulnerable position when drinking. It’s not a good idea to have lions sneaking around!

What are baby giraffes like?

Baby giraffes are called baby calves. They can walk a few minutes after birth. Baby giraffes are very vulnerable to predation and many do not survive the first week of life. Their mother does everything she can to protect them. They help them hide in the grass and will fiercely try to fend off predators. Baby giraffes grow very quickly and can grow up to 2 inches in just one day! They stay with their mother for about 2 years until they are old enough to take care of themselves.

Are Giraffes endangered?

Giraffes are not endangered, but many live in protected areas. There are about 100,000 giraffes in the wild today. However, there was a time when they almost disappeared due to being hunted by humans.

Interesting Facts About Giraffes

The interesting pattern of the giraffe’s coat is probably camouflage.

At one time, Africans called them leopard camels because they looked like a combination of camel and leopard.

When a baby giraffe is born, it will fall 5 to 6 feet to the ground and often hit its head on the ground. Wow, what a way to start things off!

Newborns can stand within 30 minutes of birth and can run after about 10 hours.

Although their necks are long, they have the same number of vertebrae as humans… seven.