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Previous Issues > April 2008 > Wildville! > Giraffe
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 Wildville!
Giraffe
 Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Giraffidae
The giraffe is the tallest animal in the world! And its height sure does come in handy. The giraffe is a plant eater and can reach way up high to feed on leaves from trees. The giraffe lives in Africa, and it's coat has brown spots or patches on a light background. They're all unique! No two giraffes have the same pattern of spots.
Male giraffes are usually between 16 to 18 feet tall, but can be up to 19 feet tall. And even though they look nice and slim, they carry some weight around on those thin legs! They can weigh 3,000 pounds or more. The giraffe's legs can be 10 feet tall, and the front legs are longer than the back! Giraffes have long necks and legs, but those arent the only things that are long! The giraffes tongue can be up 21 inches long. And it is prehensile, which means it can grab and hold on to things. Other neat facts about giraffes are:
Their natural predators are lions, hyenas and wild dogs.
Giraffes can go weeks without drinking water. They get most of their water from the plants they eat. When they do have the opportunity to drink water, they drink lots of it!
A newborn giraffe is about 6 feet tall and weighs 150 pounds when it is born. They will grow about 4 feet during the first year.
The giraffe sleeps standing up! If they lay down, it would take too long to get back up if a predator came close.
Sources: Giraffe, Encyclopdia Britannica; Wikipedia; National Geographic.
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