Giraffes are the tallest land mammals on Earth, native to the savannas, grasslands, and open woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa. Their impossibly long necks and legs, patchwork coats, and quiet, graceful movement make them one of the most recognizable animals on the planet.
Here are some verified facts about giraffes, from their nine-inch heartbeat-pumping anatomy to how surprisingly little they sleep.
Giraffes are the tallest land mammals, with adult males reaching up to about 18 feet (5.5 meters) tall.
A giraffe's neck alone can be around 6 feet (1.8 meters) long, and its legs are roughly the same length.
Despite their long necks, giraffes have only seven neck vertebrae — the same number as humans and nearly all mammals — but each bone is much larger.
A giraffe's tongue can measure up to 18-20 inches (about 45-50 cm) long, letting it strip leaves from thorny branches other animals avoid.
A giraffe's tongue is dark bluish-black, a pigmentation scientists believe helps protect it from sunburn during long hours of feeding in direct sunlight.
Giraffes are herbivores that browse mostly on acacia leaves and can eat well over 60 pounds (around 30 kg) of vegetation in a day.
Giraffes are social animals that often gather in loose, flexible groups sometimes called "towers," though membership changes frequently rather than forming fixed herds.
Male giraffes compete for dominance and mates through "necking" — swinging their heads and necks to deliver heavy blows to rivals.
Each giraffe has a unique coat pattern of patches, much like a human fingerprint, and no two giraffes share the same markings.
Giraffes can sprint in short bursts at up to 35 miles per hour (56 km/h), though they cruise at a much slower pace over long distances.
Wild giraffes get by on very little sleep, often totaling well under two hours a day, taken in short bursts of just a few minutes at a time, usually while standing.
Giraffes have an unusually large, muscular heart, weighing up to 25 pounds (11 kg), along with high blood pressure to push blood all the way up to their brains.
A newborn giraffe calf drops roughly 5-6 feet to the ground during birth and can typically stand within about an hour.
Giraffe populations have been recovering in recent years; conservation groups estimate around 117,000 to 140,000 giraffes remain in the wild, though several subspecies are still endangered or critically endangered due to habitat loss and poaching.
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