Getting Wild with. . . the Giraffe!

FLICKR/ADAM FOSTER
PHOTO: Flickr/Adam Foster

The world’s tallest mammal, the giraffe, is hard to miss as it roams the grasslands of the African savanna. These beautiful, spotted herbivores (plant-eating animals) travel in small groups, frequently stopping to munch on leaves high up in the treetops. This is easy for them, considering a giraffe can be as tall as 20 feet, with a tongue almost two feet long! Their height allows them to see predators far off in the distance, which makes giraffes popular among their shorter neighbors, like zebras and wildebeests.

DID YOU KNOW?

  • A giraffe’s spots are as unique as a snowflake or fingerprints; no two are alike.
  • Giraffe babies are six feet tall when they are born! They can stand within half an hour of birth and are able to run later that day.
  • They make noises, known as infrasound, which people cannot hear.
  • Their tongues are a dark blue, black or purple to protect against sunburn while poking out to grab leaves.

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