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Did you know that giraffes are the tallest animals on earth? The name giraffe comes from the Arabic word Zirafah which means precisely that: the tallest of all animals. And even though their necks can be as long as 78 inches long, they only have 7 vertebrae in their necks like we humans. Every time it lifts its neck, a giraffe lifts 550 pounds! The rapid blows of its hooves could easily crush an animal’s skull, but the giraffe is one of the most peaceful and graceful animals alive.

They have long, flexible tongues that rip leaves from the branches of their favorite acacia trees. They get most of their water from the leaves, and don’t require much water. In fact, giraffes don’t like to bend over to drink out of water holes, because it leaves them vulnerable to attack. This may also be the reason that they don’t eat grass. Lions are their greatest enemies, though giraffes generally live up to 15 to 20 years of age, which is a long lifespan for herbivores.

Male giraffes grow to heights of 16- 20 feet tall and weigh up to 4,000 pounds! Females grow to 15-16 feet high and weigh 2,500 pounds. The way you can tell the difference between a male and a female is that the male has a striped band on its right leg, and the female has a band on her left leg. You would have to run in order to keep up with a giraffe when it walks, because each step it takes is 15 feet long!

Giraffes live on dry, hard land, since they can live without water. They can be found on the African Savannah and South of the Sahara. Their breeds include the names Kordofan Giraffe, Angolan Giraffe, Southern Giraffe, Nigerian Giraffe, Reticulated Giraffe, Masai Giraffe and Rofts Giraffe. Only about 100,000 giraffes are left in the wild because poachers have reduced their number drastically.

Fossil remains of giraffes’ bones have been found dating back to 70 million years ago. They have a keen sense of smell and sight– that’s why they have been able to survive so long among those hungry lions. The giraffe’s unique appearance is a reminder of the beautiful variations nature has given to life on our planet. Honor the peaceful giraffe’s valuable presence on earth.