Giraffe

Giraffes are large African hoofed mammals and are the tallest living terrestrial animals on Earth. They belong to the family Giraffidae, which also includes the okapi. Traditionally, giraffes were considered one species, but recent research suggests there may be four different species, each with unique fur coat patterns.

What makes giraffes special are their incredibly long necks and legs, horn-like ossicones, and beautiful spotted coats. They live in areas ranging from Chad in the north to South Africa in the south, and from Niger in the west to Somalia in the east, mostly in savannahs and woodlands. Giraffes eat leaves, fruits, and flowers from trees, especially acacia species, which they can reach because of their height.

These gentle giants face threats from lions, leopards, spotted hyenas, and African wild dogs. They live in groups, with females and their young staying together and males forming their own herds. Males often "neck" to show strength and determine which will have a chance to mate. Today, giraffes are protected in many national parks and game reserves, though their numbers in the wild have decreased over time.

Etymology

The word "giraffe" comes from the Arabic word zirāfah. Over time, it traveled through many languages. In Middle English and early Modern English, people used words like jarraf and ziraph. These came from Spanish and Portuguese versions of the word, which themselves came from French.

Another old name for the giraffe is "camelopard." This Ancient Greek word means "camel-like leopard" because the giraffe looks a bit like a camel and has spots like a leopard.

Taxonomy

Giraffes, along with the okapi, are the only living members of the family Giraffidae in the order Artiodactyla. They are ruminants related to animals like deer, antelope, and cattle. Recent studies show that giraffes and their closest relative, the okapi, split from a common ancestor over 20 million years ago.

Scientists have studied giraffe family trees and found that today’s giraffes may actually be several different species. Some researchers think there are four distinct species of giraffes, while others suggest there could be as few as two or as many as six. These differences come from how scientists study the giraffes’ genes and physical traits. No matter how many species there are, all living giraffes come from ancestors that lived in Africa during the last few million years.

Species and subspecies of giraffe

Description	Image	Eight species taxonomy	Four species taxonomy
The Kordofan giraffe (G. c. antiquorum) has a distribution which includes southern Chad, the Central African Republic, northern Cameroon, and the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Populations in Cameroon were formerly included in G. c. peralta, but this was incorrect. Compared to the Nubian giraffe, this subspecies has smaller and more irregular spotting patterns. Its spots are present on insides of the legs, sometimes below the hocks. A median lump is present in males.: 51–52  Some 2,000 are believed to remain in the wild. Considerable confusion has existed over the status of this subspecies and G. c. peralta in zoos. In 2007, all alleged G. c. peralta in European zoos were shown to be, in fact, G. c. antiquorum. With this correction, about 65 are living in zoos.		Kordofan giraffe (G. antiquorum)	Northern giraffe (G. camelopardalis) Three or four subspecies: G. c. antiquorum G. c. camelopardalis G. c. peralta G. c. reticulata (only in three-species hypothesis)
The Nubian giraffe (G. c. camelopardalis), is found in eastern South Sudan and southwestern Ethiopia, in addition to Kenya and Uganda. It has sharp-edged chestnut-coloured spots surrounded by mostly white lines, while undersides lack spotting. A lump is prominent in the middle of the male's head.: 51  Around 2,150 are thought to remain in the wild, with another 1,500 individuals belonging to the Rothschild's ecotype. With the addition of Rothschild's giraffe to the Nubian subspecies, the Nubian giraffe is very common in captivity, although the original phenotype is rare — a group is kept at Al Ain Zoo in the United Arab Emirates. In 2003, this group numbered 14.		Nubian giraffe (G. camelopardalis) Also known as Baringo giraffe or Ugandan giraffe Two subspecies: G. c. camelopardalis G. c. rothschildi (Rothschild's giraffe)
Rothschild's giraffe (G. c. rothschildi) may be an ecotype of G. camelopardalis. Its range includes parts of Uganda and Kenya. Its presence in South Sudan is uncertain. This giraffe has large dark patches with normally well-defined edges but sometimes split. The dark spots may also have swirls of pale colour within them. Spotting rarely reaches below the hocks and rarely to the hooves. This ecotype may also develop five "horns".: 53  Around 1,500 individuals are believed to remain in the wild, and more than 450 are living in zoos. According to genetic analysis circa September 2016, it is conspecific with the Nubian giraffe (G. c. camelopardalis).
The West African giraffe (G. c. peralta) is endemic to southwestern Niger. This animal has a lighter pelage (fur) than other subspecies,: 322  with red lobe-shaped blotches that reach under the hocks. The ossicones are more erect than in other subspecies, and males have well-developed median lumps.: 52–53  It is the most endangered subspecies within Giraffa, with 400 individuals remaining in the wild. Giraffes in Cameroon were formerly believed to belong to this species, but are actually G. c. antiquorum. This error resulted in some confusion over its status in zoos, but in 2007 it was established that all "G. c. peralta" kept in European zoos are actually G. c. antiquorum. The same 2007 study found that the West African giraffe was more closely related to Rothschild's giraffe than the Kordofan, and its ancestor may have migrated from eastern to northern Africa and then west as the Sahara Desert spread. At its largest, Lake Chad may have acted as a boundary between the West African and Kordofan giraffes during the Holocene (before 5000 BC).		West African giraffe (G. peralta), Also known as Niger giraffe or Nigerian giraffe
The reticulated giraffe (G. c. reticulata) is native to northeastern Kenya, southern Ethiopia, and Somalia. Its distinctive coat pattern consists of sharp-edged, reddish-brown polygonal patches surrounded by thin white lines. Spots may or may not extend under the hocks, and a median lump is present in males.: 53  An estimated 8,660 individuals remain in the wild, and based on International Species Information System records, more than 450 are living in zoos. A 2024 study found that the reticulated giraffe is the result of hybridisation between northern and southern giraffe lineages.		Reticulated giraffe (G. reticulata), Also known as Somali giraffe
The Angolan giraffe (G. c. angolensis) occurs in northern Namibia, southwestern Zambia, central Botswana, western Zimbabwe, southern Zimbabwe and, since mid-2023, again in Angola. A 2009 genetic study on this subspecies suggested the northern Namib Desert and Etosha National Park populations form a separate subspecies. This subspecies is white with large brown blotches with pointed or cut edges. The spotting pattern extends throughout the legs but not the upper part of the face. The neck and rump patches tend to be fairly small. The subspecies also has a white ear mark.: 51  About 13,000 animals are estimated to remain in the wild, and about 20 are living in zoos.		Angolan giraffe (G. angolensis) Also known as Namibian giraffe	Southern giraffe (G. giraffa) Two subspecies: G. g. angolensis G. g. giraffa
The South African giraffe (G. c. giraffa) is found in northern South Africa, southern Botswana, northern Botswana and southwestern Mozambique. It has a tawny background colour marked with dark, somewhat rounded patches "with some fine projections". The spots extend down the legs, growing smaller as they do. The median lump of males is relatively small.: 52  A maximum of 31,500 are estimated to remain in the wild, and around 45 are living in zoos.		South African giraffe (G. giraffa) Also known as Cape giraffe
The Masai giraffe (G. c. tippelskirchi) can be found in central and southern Kenya and in Tanzania. Its coat patterns are highly diverse, with spots ranging from mostly rounded and smooth-edged to oval-shaped and incised or loped-edged. A median lump is usually present in males.: 54  A total of 32,550 are thought to remain in the wild, and about 100 are living in zoos.		Masai giraffe (G. tippelskirchi) Also known as Kilimanjaro giraffe	Masai giraffe (G. tippelskirchi) Two subspecies: G. t. tippelskirchi G. t. thornicrofti
Thornicroft's giraffe (G. c. thornicrofti) is restricted to the Luangwa Valley in eastern Zambia. It has notched and somewhat star-shaped patches which and may or may not extend across the legs. The median lump of males is modestly sized.: 54  No more than 550 remain in the wild, with none in zoos. It was named after Harry Scott Thornicroft.		Thornicroft's giraffe ("G. thornicrofti") Also known as Luangwa giraffe or Rhodesian giraffe

Anatomy

Giraffes are the tallest living land animals, standing between 4.3 and 5.7 meters tall. Males are usually taller than females, and they weigh between 828 kg and 1,192 kg. Their bodies are shorter than their necks and legs, which make them look even taller. Their fur is usually gray or tan and has dark spots or patches surrounded by lighter hair. These patterns are unique to each giraffe and can help camouflage them in the savannah.

Giraffes have special horn-like structures on their heads called ossicones. Both males and females have these, but they look different. Females and young giraffes have thinner ossicones with hair on top, while males develop thicker, hairless ossicones as they age. Giraffes also have excellent vision, large eyes, and a long black tongue that helps them grab leaves from trees. Their necks are extremely long, made by elongated neck bones, which help them reach high branches for food.

Behaviour and ecology

Giraffes live in savannahs and open woodlands, especially where they can find trees like acacias. They eat leaves, twigs, shrubs, grass, and fruit, with a daily intake of about 34 kg of plant matter. Their long necks help them reach high branches, and they have a special way of digesting food that lets them get more nutrients from it.

Giraffes often form loose groups, sometimes just one or two, but sometimes as many as 66. These groups change often and are usually made up of females and their young, or sometimes males. They can talk to each other using sounds like snorts, coughs, and even humming at night. Males sometimes fight by bumping their necks together to show who is stronger.

Human relations

Giraffes have fascinated humans for thousands of years. Their tall bodies and spotted coats have appeared in art, stories, and even religious symbols. Ancient people in Africa made rock drawings of giraffes, and the Egyptians created special symbols for them. Today, giraffes are popular characters in children’s books and movies, like in Giraffes Can’t Dance and The Lion King. They are also used as mascots, like Geoffrey the Giraffe from Toys “R” Us.

Giraffes have been kept in zoos and homes for a very long time. The Romans brought giraffes to their cities for people to see. In more recent times, giraffes in zoos need lots of space and special care. People have also used parts of giraffes for tools and medicine, like making flyswatters from their tail hair.

Conservation status

In 2016, giraffes were assessed as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Their numbers have dropped from about 155,000 in 1985 to around 97,500 in 2016. The main reasons for this decline are habitat loss and killing for bushmeat markets. Some subspecies, like the Nubian, are critically endangered.

Protected areas and community efforts help safeguard giraffes. They are the national animal of Tanzania, and killing them is against the law. International agreements also work to protect giraffes and control trade in their parts. Scientists use surveys to track giraffe populations and sometimes move them to help rebuild numbers.