Safari Moment – Giraffes

While on safari, we ALWAYS see plenty of giraffes, yet I find myself excited every time one is spotted.  I especially love to see these awkward-looking animals run with such grace and beauty, and being able to watch a mama and baby giraffe together is an experience that never gets old. 

Tanzania chose the giraffe as their national animal for its grace, as well as its long necks, which represents the ability to be visionary – seeing the past and the present. And so, giraffes serve as a reminder for Tanzanians to view life from all angles.

Interesting facts:

1. Giraffes are the tallest mammals on Earth. Their legs alone are taller than many humans—about 6 feet.
2. They can run as fast as 35 miles an hour over short distances or cruise at 10 mph over longer distances.
3. A giraffe’s neck is too short to reach the ground. As a result, it has to awkwardly spread its front legs or kneel to reach the ground for a drink of water.
4. Giraffes only need to drink once every few days. Most of their water comes from all the plants they eat.
5. Giraffes spend most of their lives standing up; they even sleep and give birth standing up.
6. Newborn giraffes can stand up and walk after about an hour, and within a week, baby giraffes start to sample vegetation alongside their mothers.
7. Despite the mother’s attempts to stand over their calves during attacks by lions, spotted hyenas, leopards and African wild dogs, many calves are killed in their first few months.
8. A giraffe’s spots are much like human fingerprints. No two individual giraffes have exactly the same pattern.
9. Both male and female giraffes have two distinct, hair-covered horns called ossicones. Male giraffes use their horns to sometimes fight with other males.
10. Giraffes only need 5 to 30 minutes of sleep in a 24-hour period! They often achieve that in quick naps that may last only a minute or two at a time.

Years ago,  it was thought that giraffes did not make any sounds, but this is now known to be untrue, as giraffes bellow, snort, hiss and make flute-like sounds. They also make low-pitched noises beyond the range of human hearing.

It’s not a surprise that so many of our fellow travelers on Instinct Tours say that these amazing creatures are among their top three safari animals!