Facts about giraffes include that this majestic creature of the African savannas is the tallest land animal on Earth. With their distinctive long necks and spotted coats, giraffes have captivated human imagination for centuries. These gentle giants possess a unique array of adaptations that allow them to thrive in their arid environment. Reading facts about animals and their habitats helps students enhance general knowledge. In this blog, you will read 17+ amazing facts about giraffes. So, if you are ready to learn giraffe trivia, read till the end to find a downloadable giraffe fact file PDF and quiz with answers.
Parameters | Description |
Sounds | Low-frequency rumbles, grunts, and hisses |
Diet | Herbivore, primarily feeding on leaves, fruits, and flowers of acacia trees |
Predators | Lions, hyenas, and wild dogs, especially for young calves |
Lower Classifications | Nine subspecies, including the reticulated giraffe, Masai giraffe, and Rothschild’s giraffe |
Average Lifespan | Up to 25 years in the wild |
Physical Characteristics | Extremely long neck, long legs, distinctive spotted coat, large eyes, and ossicones (horn-like structures) |
Average Size | Tallest living land animal; males can reach up to 18 feet tall |
Habitat | Savannas and woodlands of Africa |
Reproduction | The gestation period of approximately 15 months; typically gives birth to one calf |
Conservation Status | Vulnerable |
Unique Adaptations | Long neck for reaching food, strong legs for running, excellent eyesight, and a complex cardiovascular system to pump blood to the brain |
Table of Contents
Fun Facts about Giraffes
Do you want to know where you can find Giraffes? Or How they spend a significant time of their day? To get to know all these things read facts about Giraffes given below –
- Giraffes are found in the dry Savannah of Africa. There are many facts about Africa and one of the major ones is it is home to many wild animals.
- They are well recognised for their long necks.
- Their favourite treat is the leaves and buds of the acacia tree.
- They spend significant amounts of time eating during the day.
- They drink once in a few days because they get water from their leafy meals.
- Their groups are called towers.
- By butting their long necks, male giraffes see who is stronger.
- Female Giraffe gives birth while standing.
- In the wild, this beautiful creature can live up to 25 years.
- Four species of Giraffes are – Northern giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis, Southern giraffe giraffa, Reticulated giraffe G. reticulata and Masai giraffe G. tippelskirchi.
Also Read – 45+ Funniest Animal Facts for Kids Worth Laughing Out Loud
Unique Facts About Giraffes
Ever wonder about what posture giraffes take to drink water? Or what will be the diameter of the feet of a Giraffe? To know the answers to these questions read the Giraffe facts listed below –
- In seven countries of Africa Giraffes are already extinct.
- Each giraffe has a different code of patterns on its body.
- The diameter of the giraffe’s feet is about 30 cm.
- The tongue of a giraffe is between 45 to 50 m long and purple.
- Both female and male giraffes have horns at birth.
- It is the tallest mammal in the world.
- They splay their forelegs to dirk water as their neck is too short to drink water.
- Their jugular veins have special valves and elastic walls to prevent blood from rushing to the brain when they lower their heads to drink.
- Their hearts are incredibly strong, with thick walls to pump blood up their long necks against gravity.
- Their legs have tight skin and strong muscles to help blood flow back to the heart.
Quiz on Facts About Giraffe
Test your knowledge about Giraffes! Choose the correct answer from the given options and match your answers from the answer key provided at the end.
Q1: What is the tallest land animal?
A) Elephant |
B) Giraffe |
C) Lion |
D) Rhino |
Q2: Why do giraffes have long necks?
A) To reach the sky |
B) To eat leaves from tall trees |
C) To look cool |
D) To run faster |
Q3: What colour are giraffe tongues?
A) Black |
B) Blue |
C) Purple |
D) Pink |
Q4: How tall can a giraffe’s neck be?
A) 2 meters |
B) 4 meters |
C) 6 meters |
D) 8 meters |
Q5: Where do giraffes live?
Arctic |
Amazon Rainforest |
African Savannas |
Australian Outback |
Answers
Q1: B |
Q2: B |
Q3: D |
Q4: C |
Q5: C |
FAQs
5 interesting facts about giraffes are that they are found in the dry Savannah of Africa, they are well recognised for their long necks, their favourite treat is the leaves and buds of the acacia tree, they spend significant amounts of time eating during the day, they drink once in a few days because they get water from their leafy meals.
Baby giraffes are born around 6 feet tall, a height most humans never reach, they can stand and walk within hours of birth, and even run a few days later, baby giraffes often sleep by resting their heads on their bottoms, despite their unique appearance, baby giraffes make sounds similar to a cow’s moo, each giraffe has a unique spot pattern, much like human fingerprints.
Giraffes have the longest necks of any land mammal,their hearts are incredibly strong, pumping blood up their long necks and their soft footpads allow them to move quietly, even on hard ground etc.
Relevant Reads
I hope you liked reading these interesting facts about giraffes. If you want to know more about topics like this, then visit our Interesting Facts and General Knowledge page!