A giraffe’s coat tells a story

Don’t these Giraffes look like they come out of a children’s book, because their coats resemble a beautiful painting?

This is Nature’s artistry at its finest.

These giraffes in East Africa may look somewhat different from those in Southern Africa as they’re another subspecies, each with their own unique patterns and personalities!

East Africa Giraffes
• Reticulated: bold, net-like patterns
• Masai: jagged, leaf-shaped spots
• Rothschild’s: creamy “white stockings”

Can you guess which ones are in this reel?

On the other hand, Southern Africa’s Giraffes have rounder, softer blotches and a more uniform colour.

Did you Know?

The Collective Noun for a Giraffe is a Journey or a Tower?

Giraffes have the same number of vertebrae as humans?

Poor baby giraffes have to endure quite a big drop when they are born over 2 meters!

Within an hour, teh babies will stagger upright to ensure they aren’t attacked by predators right away.

They also position their legs wide when drinking water so that their lengthy necks can reach the cool water.

Their favourite foods include:

• Acacia trees (a top choice because of high nutrients)
• Commiphora (myrrh) trees
• Terminalia species
• Bushwillow
• Seasonal fruits and seed pods

They use their 45–50 cm (18–20 inch) long prehensile tongue—tough, purple, and incredibly flexible—to pull leaves from branches and avoid thorns.

They sleep about 30 minutes to 2 hours per day, often in short bursts.
They rarely lie down because of predation risk.

They have a massive heart (up to 11 kg / 25 lbs) to pump blood up the long neck.
Blood pressure is 2–3 times higher than humans.

Giraffes live in loose, fluid herds and there is no strict hierarchy. Males often roam alone; females cluster with calves.

They are such graceful, peaceful animals to watch and you can always guarantee that a child’s favourite animal is a giraffe!