Giraffe Facts

Height
Adult males stand 15-18 feet tall, whereas females are shorter and stand 13-16 feet tall.

Weight
Adult males weigh 1760-4255 pounds, while females weigh only 1200-2600 pounds.

Food
Various species of acacias. They also browse from the leaves and shoots of trees or shrubs, but they are selective.

Life Span
Giraffes live for 10-15 years in the wild, but average 25 years in captivity.

Reproduction
In the wild, males may not breed until age 6 or 7, due to a system of hierarchy among the bulls. In contrast to the male breeding age, females must be physically larger to carry offspring. Breeding season can occur at any time. Newborn giraffe calves begin their lives by falling 6 feet to the ground.

Colors
Giraffes are known for their brown-orange coloring with an all-over puzzle piece pattern.

Habitat
Giraffes live mostly in eastern sub-Saharan Africa, while certain populations also live in the western and southern parts of the continent.

Interesting Facts
The giraffe has the same number of vertebrae in its neck that most other mammals have, seven.

The giraffe can drink up to 12 gallons of water in one sitting.

Every step a giraffe takes is approximately 15 feet long.

The valves in veins of the neck control a huge rush of blood to the head when leaning over; this prevents unconsciousness.

A giraffe's tongue is over 18 inches long, and the roof of the mouth is grooved to easily strip leaves off branches. Since giraffes are extremely efficient at processing nutrients and liquids from food, they can survive without water for long periods of time.

Giraffes rest with their eyes open, standing or lying for three to five minutes at a time. Throughout the night, a giraffe may sleep deeply for five to 10 minutes lying down, yet they rarely sleep more than 20 minutes total per day. Oxpecker birds like to help giraffes by eating bugs off of their backs. A giraffe's kick can kill a lion.

Baby giraffes are about 6 feet tall when they are born. Giraffes have 4 stomachs.

Sub Species
There are 9 species, and each specie can be identified by its coat pattern.