Giraffe Facts
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- Giraffes are the tallest of all land animals
- The word "giraffe" comes from the Arab word xirapha, which means "the one that walks very fast."
- Giraffes are herbivores whose favorite foods are the leaves of trees.
- Groups of giraffes are called herds. Giraffe herds are very loosely structured and vary in number of members.
- Adult male giraffes are called bulls. Adult female giraffes are called cows. A young giraffe is called a calf.
- The oldest giraffe on record lived to be almost 28 years old.
- Giraffes from different parts of Africa have different color patterns. There are nine different types of giraffes:
- Nigerian
- Southern
- Angolan
- Kordofan
- Nubian
- Baringo (Rothschild's)
- Reticulated
- Masai
- Thornicroft's
- Giraffes have 4 stomachs.
- Giraffes have 7 neck bones - the same number as humans have.
- Giraffes have very few predators. Lions are a giraffe's primary threat.
- Each giraffe has its own unique pattern of spots. No two giraffes are the same!
- Giraffes are quiet by nature, but can make a variety of sounds when in the mood: they can moo, bleat, bellow, grunt, snort, cough, whistle, growl, and even snore.
- Giraffes "chew their cud," or ruminate, just like cows.
- A giraffe's tongue can be up to 22 inches long.
- The only living relative of the giraffe is the okapi.
- Some Africans believe that giraffe tails are lucky.
These facts were compiled from Zoobooks: Giraffes (1991)
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