How much do you know about Africa’s longnecks? Now is your chance to get up to speed in celebration of World Giraffe Day on 21 June.
They are the world’s tallest mammals, have exceptionally long tongues, and were once believed to be a fusion between a camel and leopard. Giraffes are majestic animals that deserve our respect and protection. For World Giraffe Day on 21 June, find out more about our continent’s towering herbivores with these 10 interesting facts.
#1: Sweet dreams
When tired, giraffes will lie down to sleep or rest. At night, they will doze off into a deep sleep, but only for short periods of time. But why do giraffes never lie down flat, with their heads resting on the ground? During rumination [chewing the cud], the contents of their stomachs are forced into the mouth, and when lying down in a complete flat position, this content could be ingested into the lungs causing suffocation.
Picture by Mariska Nortje
#2: Longneck magic
Their necks might be a lot longer than those of other animals, but longer does not necessarily mean more bones… Like most mammals, they also have just seven bones in their neck. Thing is that these bones are a lot longer than the rest of the animal’s vertebrae. What a wild illusion!
#3: Ouch!
We all know that giraffes love to feed on thorn trees, but how do they manage to separate leaves from thorns, or do they actually eat those hazardous spikes? Nope. Giraffes avoid bigger thorns, spitting them out when their long tongues (up to 45cm) get too opportunistic. The giraffe is, in fact, masterfully built to feast on thorny trees: their inner lips and tongue are covered with horny papillae, thick saliva aids against pricking, and a tough upper palate ensures further protection.
Picture by Samuel Cox
#4: Spot the track
The front track of a giraffe’s foot measures 5mm more than the hind foot at 190mm. Its front track is also broad and rectangular, and the width is almost constant over the track’s length. When trying to identify a giraffe track, look for a smoothly textured track (the hooves are completely flat underneath), and a hind track that is more pointed on the leading edge.
#5: A love for bones
Ever heard of osteophagia? This behaviour occurs when giraffes, like many other herbivores, crave certain minerals such as phosphorus and calcium that may be lacking in their diets. They subsequently resort to chewing on bones. Guess that’s what one calls making the most of others’ leftovers…
Picture by Dee Roelofsz
#6: On the downside
Giraffes might be able to run at speeds of 56km/h and step over barriers as high as 1,4m, but did you know that jumping is not one of these mammals’ strengths? Another disadvantage is grooming, purely because of their long and awkward build. This makes giraffes a popular host for birds such as oxpeckers in search of ticks.
#7: What a blow!
Ever witnessed the social interaction between giraffes called necking? This is the term used to describe their behaviour of striking each other with their neck and head. And when two young adult males give it a go, things can get quite intense, each blow inflicting a powerful hit to the opponent’s body. Quite believable when considering that a mature bull’s head weighs more that 30kg and the top of its skull is 10cm thick.
Picture by Kirsten Frost
#8: Fancy a drink?
For these animals, it’s no easy task to have a sip of water. First, the giraffe has to splay its front legs, bending the legs comes second, and only then can the animal lower its head. Quite the exercise. Because giraffes are especially vulnerable to attacks from predators in this position, they mostly drink during daylight.
#9: No dizzy spells
Try sitting on a chair with your head between your legs and remain in this position for a few seconds. Now, quickly raise your head… Dizzy much? Giraffes have a nifty blood vessel system found in the neck that protects the brain against sudden changes in blood pressure when the animal lowers and raises its head.
Picture by Adri Botma
#10: Camel or leopard?
But why the genus name camelopardalis? It’s said that in ancient times, Romans and Greeks believed the giraffe was a mix between a camel and leopard. Well, considering the species’ looks, you can see what they were getting at!
Great article!, On necking I once watched several couples at the same time engaged in necking, but in a very gentle way that it even looked like courting or flirting. Any explanation for this behaviour?
Best regards,
Dirk
Did you know that Giraffe are now not seen as a single species?
https://www.thenakedscientists.com/articles/science-news/giraffe-not-single-species-four
Is there a book on this? Such a very interesting article.
Beautiful pictures. My favourite to see animal. Do giraffes also have a crèche system like impala? On a recent visit to Kruger we saw small groups of very young giraffes with only one adult close by.
I have read that there could be 5 different species of giraffe. This goes beyond the reticulated giraffe from East Africa and our standard-looking local animals.
It would have been helpful to some if you had posted an image of the relevant facts that you mentioned instead of just posting pretty pictures eg – a picture or diagram of the tracks, giraffe drinking with splayed legs, giraffes tongue out feeding on acacia’s. These images are not that hard to source and would have reinforced your message.
Very interesting article. I read recently that, giraffe too are very endangered due to massive reduction of the trees they feed on. Is this true?