Giraffe
Introductions
Greetings and good tidings, my friend! I am Jacob Giraffe.
We giraffes are graceful, gentle giants who live our lives as devout pacifists. We maintain long-term relationships with our friends and family with nary an aggressive tendency. (Though predators may suffer a swift, defensive kick if we’re cornered and can’t otherwise escape.) We harbor no illusions of territorial rights and our leafy diet places us firmly in the vegetarian camp.
As the dominant male giraffe in my community, I was nominated to share more about our lives to help you understand our mellow lifestyle. It’s simply groovy, baby!
Fast Facts
Where We Live
We live in the dry savannas and open woodlands of eastern sub-Saharan Africa.
IUCN Status
Overall, giraffes are considered vulnerable. However, several subspecies like the Masai and reticulated giraffe are classified as endangered while Nubian and Kordofan giraffes are critically endangered. Our woes stem from:
- Habitat loss and fragmentation.
- Civil unrest where we live.
- Poaching.
- Climate change.
Celebrity Giraffe
April, a reticulated giraffe, lived at the Animal Adventure Park in Harpursville, New York. She gained worldwide fame when the birth of her fourth calf, Tajiri, was livestreamed on YouTube in 2017. To learn more about her, check out April’s Wikipedia page.
World Giraffe Day is June 21!
Fun Fact
NASA is beholden to us after studying our physiology, particularly how we handle gravity and maintain blood pressure in our long necks and legs. The tight skin on our lower legs inspired the anti-gravity suits developed for astronauts.
Subspecies
The IUCN recognizes 4 subspecies of giraffes, with additional classifications under each.
- Masai Giraffe
- Group includes Luangwa and Masai giraffe.
- We live in central and southern Kenya and throughout Tanzania.
- Recognize me by my dark coloration and a coat with patterns like oak leaves.
- Northern Giraffe
- Group includes Kordofan, Nubian (including Rothschild) and West African giraffe.
- We live in Western, Central and East Africa.
- Recognize me by the absence of markings on my lower leg.
- Reticulated Giraffe
- Group includes just me: the reticulated giraffe.
- We primarily live in Northern Kenya with a few of us in Ethiopia and Somalia.
- Recognize me by my dark coat with a web of narrow white lines.
- Southern Giraffe
- Group includes Angolan and South African giraffe.
- We live in Southern Africa.
- Recognize me by my large, irregularly shaped, and unevenly notched patches in various shades of brown, surrounded by light tan color.
Giraffe Social Structure
We’re peace-loving creatures who live in loose herds called towers or journeys. Our groups vary in size, ranging from a few individuals to 50 of us, although we mostly hang out with five of our favorite pals. Whether groups are ladies-only, all-male, or mixed doubles, we like to keep it harmonious.
Female Herds
The ladies live in large, stable geographic communities, although these groupings are not always apparent to those outside our world. Females stick with their natal herd, so their towers encompass several generations of related females, with mothers and their mature daughters at the core. There is no clear leader or pecking order within the group and sometimes they are joined by a few males to form a mixed doubles group.
Adult females, who are called cows, are rarely alone. They spend their days in journeys of three to nine friends while they forage, often drifting off with the same lunch buddies because they enjoy each other’s company. Even when they’re spread out, they are still tuned in – sending each other infrasonic messages that you humans can’t hear. If one of the ladies stumbles on a primo patch of leafy goodness, she’ll spread the word. Sharing is caring, man!
Bachelor Herds
While the ladies have their tight friendships, we dudes tend to keep things a bit looser and have more acquaintances. As young adults, we hang out in bachelor herds. But as we mellow with age, many of us start to dig our solo time. Some of us – like yours truly, the dominant type – spend half our time alone, while guys like my buddy Gerald are more into hanging with the herd. We’ve got a loose pecking order, but it’s chill. It’s not about turf or throwdowns. It’s more about who gets to vibe with the ladies more often.
Growing Up Giraffe
Free Fallin’
I made my grand entrance into the world with a six-foot drop straight from Mom – she was standing when she gave birth to me. The fall didn’t hurt me but did a rad job of snapping my umbilical cord. Mom got right to work, licking me clean and in just half an hour, I was standing six feet (two meters) tall and weighing 200 pounds. Mom nudged me towards the milk bar, and I started nursing like a pro.
Ossicones
When I landed on the scene, my horns (called ossicones) were flat against my head. Within a few hours they popped up to their normal position. All of us sport ossicones, which are covered in wavy black hair when we’re still calves. We fellas rub ours bald as we grow up, but the ladies retain their flowing locks. It’s a great way to tell us apart.
Within an hour of birth, I was running wobbly circles around Mom. She moved me a short distance to some tall grass and hid me there while she left to get something to eat. I instinctively knew to remain still so as not to give myself away. That was my scene for the next few weeks: keeping a low profile in the grass, napping, and waiting for Mom to return. She’d come back a few times a day to nurse me and share some love – just a few licks or a gentle nudge to reassure me.
Righteous Mothering Tactic
Because we’re so big, adults need to spend most of their day eating. New moms especially need to keep up with their nutritional needs because they’re nursing. But what to do with a newborn that can’t quite keep up? Mom hides her little one and then moves away so predators won’t get wise to the hiding spot. That’s a righteous move!
After three weeks of it being just the two of us, Mom introduced me to the herd. All her friends came by to nuzzle me with their heads. There were other calves my age there too. At first, I confined my running and jumping to the area around Mom. But then Gerald approached me and licked my nose before leaping away. And just like that, a lifelong friendship was born.
Nursery School
My introduction to the tower came with nursery school privileges. Gerald was there and Geoffrey, Jennifer, Josie, and Juniper too. Our nursery herd, or creche, would gather early in the morning in an open area with tall grass, often on a hilltop. The moms would eat together for a bit and let us fill up at the milk bar. Then, one by one, they’d depart to forage for the day. Sometimes one or two moms would stay with us but other times we were on our own. Either way, we’d lie down near where our moms left us. Each mom would return two or three times a day to nurse her calf and then head back out to continue eating.
Cooperative Parenting Arrangement
Our moms had a rather cool cooperative parenting arrangement. Besides shared babysitting and guard duties, the milk bar options were relatively flexible. Usually Mom nursed me, but sometimes one of the other moms would do the honors like when Gerald and I would suckle at the same time from his mom. Right on, moms!
While we’d start out lying down, we couldn’t stay that way all day! When the razzle dazzle zoomies kicked in, we calves would run and jump together. And when we mellowed out, we’d just hang close together. Sometimes I’d give a friend’s nose a lick or nudge them with my head.
Our days passed as a combination of these pleasantries. But like clockwork, as daylight faded, all the moms would return to the group for the evening. We’d get into a big circle and us kids would go to sleep in the center. Most of the moms slept for a few hours with us but one or two moms would remain awake to watch over the group. They’d switch off guard duty regularly, so all the moms got a chance to rest. As the sun peeked over the horizon, we’d wander to a fresh meadow dedicated to us wee ones.
While nursery school was usually mellow and far out, occasionally the vibes would turn heavy. A lion, leopard, or hyena would crash the scene, and we’d bolt as one until the predator was outta sight. Then we’d circle back to where our moms left us, hoping everything was cool. Or, if there was a mom on babysitting duty, she’d nudge her calf to follow her to safety and the rest of us would follow suit. If fleeing wasn’t an option, the mom would deliver a few karate-style kicks to deter the predator. Despite these protections, we ultimately lost Josie and Geoffrey to lions while the hyenas got Jennifer. It was a serious downer when we lost a member of the nursery herd. (And like the worst episode ever of Josie and the Pussycats.) All the moms would be distraught and would run hither and yon, occasionally stopping to guard or look at the body over the next few days until they gradually drifted away from the scene of the crime.
When I was three months old, the nursery crew and I started nibbling on leaves that were dangling from the trees so tantalizingly. We were developing a taste for what would eventually become our staple. Within another three months, we were browsing like pros.
Milk Bar Cut Off
When I was nine months old, Mom started to get a little more finicky about me nursing. Within three months, she pulled the plug on the milk bar completely. But it was cool. By then I was a year old and relatively independent. I’d doubled in height, sprouting another six feet, which meant I could reach the treetops with ease. I spent a lot of my time with my age-mates. While we all moved freely within our herd, we preferred hanging together.
When Gerald and I hit the big four, we left our natal herd in favor of a bachelor herd. We were with our new friends most of the time, although occasionally I’d visit Mom or would follow an older bull while he was in the neighborhood to scope out how he adulted.
Adulting, Giraffe Style
Necking for Dominance
As I reached adulthood, I was hanging out with Gerald and our bachelor herd but was carving out some solitary me-time about one-quarter of the time. By then, I was eighteen feet (5.5 meters) tall and weighed 4,000 pounds (1,800 kilograms). (By comparison, Juniper was a petite 16 feet / 5 meters tall and 2,000 pounds / 900 kilograms.)
Where the Girls Are
Far-out fact: As young adults, female giraffes like Juniper tend to make new friends, increasing their lunch buddy group to eight. As they age, they stick with those close friendships while also spending a lot of time with their moms. (We sons dig our mothers too, but we don’t exactly hang around them all the time.)
Since we bachelors aren’t tied down with parenting responsibilities, we have more time on our hands than the ladies do. We use it to keep the spirit of brotherly competition alive through the time-honored tradition of sparring. For 15-20 minutes, we duke it out with one or two other males our age, taking turns whacking each other with our long necks. We usually take a breather between swings to rub our necks together. Most of the time our “necking” is on the gentle side and might even appear affectionate. When one of us decides he’s had enough, he just strolls away. The victor does not give chase but instead joins his former opponent for some leafy snacking. It is rare that any injuries are reported, and we live peacefully together after our scuffles.
We may not have a strict pecking order, but our sparring sessions provide us a mellow way to figure out who’s got the upper hoof. Because I always stood my ground, I am the dominant male in our community without having to fight anyone to prove my status. And if a new giraffe of our age range enters our area, I hold my head and chest high and walk directly towards him. He gets the message, dips his head, and drifts off – no drama required. Of course, when one of those seasoned, top-dog bulls swings by for a visit, my number one status takes a temporary backseat. Hey, even the coolest cat has to tip his ossicones now and then.
I Win Something Even Better Than Cash and Prizes
Being the mostly dominant dude in the herd has its perks—like getting primo access to the ladies. (Way better than cash and prizes, if you ask me!) I started taking advantage of this right when I was seven years old and the nice thing was that I was active year-round. When I’d cruise into a family group, I would stop to say hey to the youngsters, gently booping each one on the head with my nose. They’d usually touch my head in return, but the shyer ones ran away. Formalities concluded, I’d turn my attention to the grown-up gals.
Where the Girls Are, Part Two
Ladies like Juniper start spending time with the guys just prior to their fourth birthday and fifteen months later, they welcome their first little love child. After giving birth, they go into estrus again three weeks later and conceive after a few cycles. This translates to giving birth every 22 months. When the ladies reach the age of 20, they go into menopause and shift to serving as their herd’s wise elders, sharing what they’ve learned with the younger generation.
My first order of business was to decide which lady was most likely to be in estrus. Once I had a potential love interest in mind, I’d nuzzle her under the tail to see if she’d respond with a little pee. The ladies are kind of picky about this behavior and can be particularly choosy with the younger bucks. Back in my junior days, that move worked maybe one out of three tries. But now that I’m older, it works about two out of three times. When the lady urinated, I would catch some in my mouth and use my sense of smell to test whether she was ready for my company. If she wasn’t, I’d keep on truckin’. But if she was ready, I’d follow her for the next few hours, standing just behind her until she consented to getting groovy with me. After our rendezvous, I usually left to find the next family herd. Unless, of course, I caught wind of another buck making eyes at my lady – then I’d stick around for another day.
Getting Dark Spots
As I’ve gotten older, my spots have darkened with age and are now completely black. This happens with all giraffes but is more apparent with males and especially dominant males, like me. As I’ve matured, I value my alone time more and cruise solo about half the time. Still, I make the rounds to check out the ladies. And every once in a while, I swing by a bachelor herd to remind the young bucks who’s really in charge.
A Typical Day for Me as an Adult
Here Comes the Sun
Most of us have started our day by the time the sun rises. I usually have at least six hitchhikers in the form of red- and yellow-billed oxpeckers lined up on my neck, head, and back. As I feast, these birds hop about and pick off any ticks that have made their way onto my skin. I’m with Gerald about half the time when I browse because, you know, safety first.
Up to 20 hours of my day is spent foraging. Because we tower over the other browsers and grazers in our neck of the woods, we have exclusive rights to the tops of the trees where we find edible leaves, vines, herbs, twigs, and bark. You know, the good stuff. I nibble a few bites from one plant and then move on to the next, walking up to 3.5 miles (5.6 kilometers) daily. But nothing gets me jazzed like stumbling upon a grove of acacia trees to nosh because they’re my absolute favorite. And when they bloom in the spring, I munch their flower power too. Oh, and between you and me? I’ve got a bit of a sweet tooth with mangoes being my guilty pleasure.
While I eat, I constantly scan my surroundings using my high vantage point and great eyesight. Like any savvy prey animal, I’m suspicious of anything new in my environment. A funky new watering hole? A fresh batch of trees? When I spot something I’ve not noticed before, I stop 100 yards (100 meters) away and then stare intently to determine the newcomer’s intentions. I may even break my usual vow of silence to issue a hiss to indicate my displeasure. After a few minutes, I move a few yards to my side and resume the staring contest. I’ll repeat this at least fifteen times before being convinced it’s safe to let it be.
When my scanning detects something nefarious, like a lion, I snort in alarm while galloping away. When I need to, I can move quickly, reaching speeds of 37 mph (60 kph) for short bursts. Other animals grazing near me such as zebra, wildebeest, ostrich, and eland follow my lead. Because we help the grazers out, we’ve earned the nickname “Sentinels of the Savanna”.
Afternoon Delight
As the heat peaks for the day, I rest in the shade to conserve energy. During this time of stillness, my digestive system catches up to my dining. I regurgitate what I’ve recently eaten as cud and rechew it in a process called ruminating. It relaxes me and often leaves me sporting a faraway look.
While it’s really hot, I take a quick 5-minute nap or two. Because getting up and down is a major drag, I often rest standing up. I only lay down when I’m hanging with a larger group so that we can take turns standing guard. Then I lay with my head resting on my rump.
Between ruminating and resting, I may groom myself. We giraffes don’t do well in water, so bathing is just a flat out no thank you! Instead, I use my tongue to clean my face, ears, and nose. The oxpeckers take care of the rest. Although if I have an itch on my stomach, I find some bushes to rub my belly on as an impromptu scratching post.
Sometimes I get a drink in the afternoon. Most of my hydration comes from the plants I eat, so I only need water every few days. Getting down to take a drink is a bit of a trick, requiring me to spread my front legs and assume a partial-kneeling stance. I drink for one minute and then pop back up again. Lather, rinse, repeat. I do this over and over until I drink ten gallons (38 liters). Standing in such an awkward position leaves me feeling vulnerable, so I usually bring a few friends with me when I head to the waterhole. Once we’re there, the zebra, wildebeests, ostriches, and elands in the area follow suit. Just another service from your friendly
neighborhood sentinel!
Purple Tongued
When I eat, I curl my tongue around the base of a branch and, with a quick movement, I pull down and strip all the leaves into my mouth. This obviously requires some fancy tongue work but mine is up for the challenge. It is 18-inches long and very dexterous, which helps me reach high branches. Thorns are no issue for me. If I can’t navigate around them, my thick, sticky saliva coats any stickers so I can swallow them with ease.
Oh yeah – and my tongue is purple! Being this tall and feeding my all-day munchies leaves my tongue frequently exposed to the sun. The purple coloration protects it from getting burnt.
Comment from an Acacia Tree
As a tree, I generally don’t like being touched and I especially dislike being nibbled. When Jacob comes a-noshing, I help nearby trees by emitting a gas telling them to pump tannins into their leaves. You see, tannins leave leaves tasting bitter to encourage the browser to move on. And they do! But my message only carries for 100 yards (100 meters), so Jacob can outsmart my early warning system by moving on to a tree outside of this range.
Late in the Evening
As dusk rolls around and the temperature cools, I get back to eating. By the end of the day, I’ve chowed down on 75 pounds (34 kilograms) of leaves and twigs. I often eat through the night, although I prefer to do that when the moon is full so I can keep scanning my surroundings. Once I’m sated, I may sleep for up to 2 hours, although, truth be told, I dig taking a series of micro-naps.
Giraffe Communications
We “hum” at night. The frequency is so low that you won’t hear us, but I can assure you our vocals feature a rich harmonic structure.
How You Can Help Us
It would be totally righteous if you’d like to do something to help us! We’ve lost 90% of our historic range, so supporting groups that are trying to save our land really helps. Illegal hunting is also problematic – our numbers have declined by 40% over the last 30 years — so funding rangers who can watch out for us is also far out. Check out the Terrestrial Threats page for more ideas or the donation search to find your worthy cause of choice. Finally, climate change is causing droughts where we live, which in turn means that my favorite nosh, acacia trees, aren’t growing as tall. Because I eat off the tops of trees, the result is that I’m finding less to eat these days so it also helps if you can limit your carbon footprint to help reduce climate change.
Returning the Favor
Since you’re considering helping us, I’d like to return the favor. We giraffes are big-hearted, both literally (our hearts weigh 25 pounds!) and figuratively. We’re also kind to those we meet and gentle with the environment in which we live. Try responding to others in the spirit of our kindness and be cautious (another fine trait!) to buy only products that are eco-friendly. I think you’ll score some good karma for yourself in the process and will receive your kindness back tenfold.
For more information on giraffes, read Anne Innis Dagg’s Giraffe: Biology, Behaviour and Conservation or check out the Giraffe Conservation Foundation website. If you’d like to see giraffes in-person, some of the best zoos are the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, or the Bristol Zoo Project. If you’d prefer to watch giraffes via webcam, try the San Diego Zoo Safari Park Giraffe Cam.
Special thanks to Derek Lee of Wild Nature Institute for serving as our giraffe expert and Laine Crosby for adding that extra groovy vibe.
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