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- The scientific name for a giraffe is giraffa camelopardalis
- There is one species of giraffes but 9 total sub-species (Rothschild’s Giraffe, West African Giraffe, Thornicroft Giraffe, Reticulated Giraffe, Masai Giraffe, Angolan Giraffe, Kordofan Giraffe, Nubian Giraffe and South African Giraffe)
- Scientists believe that giraffes have been on earth between 30-50 million years
- Giraffes live in African savannas, grasslands or open woodlands.
- Giraffes are the world’s tallest animal.
- A giraffe can live 25 years in the wild and 30 in captivity.
- A male giraffe can be up to 19 ft tall and weigh between 2,400 -3,000 pounds.
- A female giraffe can be up to 16 ft tall and weigh between 1,600 -2,600 pounds.
- A male giraffe is called a bull.
- A female giraffe is called a cow.
- A baby giraffe is called a calf.
- A giraffe can clean their ears with their tongue!
- A giraffe’s tongue can be 18-2o inches long and is dark a color.
- A giraffe’s heart can weigh up to 24 pounds and be 2 ft long.
- Giraffes are herbivores meaning they do not eat meat. Giraffes eat leaves and branches mostly from acacia, mimosa and wild apricot trees . They can eat up to 140 pounds of food a day.
- Predators of giraffes are lions, leopards packs of hyenas, and wild dogs.
- Only 25-50% of baby giraffes make it to adulthood. The others are attacked by predators and killed.
- A giraffe defends itself from predators by kicking. They can kick so hard that it can kill a lion.
- Giraffes don’t need much sleep. On average they sleep only 5- 30 minutes a day!
- The darker a giraffe’s spots are, the older he/she is.
- Giraffes live in herds of about 20.
- A female giraffe is pregnant for 15 months and gives birth standing up.
- A baby giraffe can weigh 155 pounds and be 6 ft tall.
- A giraffe can go longer than a camel without water.
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