50 Neck-Stretching Facts about Giraffes

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Did you know that giraffes are more than just the tallest land animals? They’re gentle giants with a heartwarming social side too! Here are some mind-boggling facts about giraffes, including their towering height and number of teeth, giving you a glimpse of how they reach for the stars, literally!

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Hold on tight as we go on a safari to learn about giraffes, including the secrets of their remarkable spots – no two giraffes have the same pattern! Plus, we’ll spill the tea on their outrageously long tongues, perfect for grabbing those hard-to-reach leaves.

But that’s not all! We’ve got the inside scoop on their incredible speed, which might surprise you! And let’s not forget their cool ways of communication – they’ve got some unique moves up their long sleeves! We haven’t even touched on their motherly instincts and how adorable their calves are. Get ready for a cuteness overload that’ll melt your heart!

If you need other fun facts to share with your friends and family, be sure to check out our list of Weird Facts about Animals and Facts About Bugs for some more fun facts!

Remarkable Facts About Giraffes

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  1. There are four species of Giraffes: Southern Giraffe, Masai Giraffe, Reticulated Giraffe, and Northern Giraffe.
  2. The first known Giraffe lived 20 million years ago!
  3. Giraffes have no teeth in the front of their top jaw.
  4. On average, a Giraffe only needs 2 hours of sleep a day.
  5. A Giraffe’s eyes are the size of golf balls.
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  1. There are also subspecies of Giraffes:  Angolan Giraffe, Nubian Giraffe, West African Giraffe, Rothschild Giraffe, and Kordofan Giraffe.
  2. A Giraffe has a blue or purple tongue. It is believed the color keeps it from burning in the sun.
  3. A Tower of Giraffes has around 15 members. 
  4. The horns on a Giraffe are not horns. They are called Ossicones and are cartilage covered with skin.
  5. In order to get oxygen up to its head, the Giraffe has lungs like hot air balloons.
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  1. Female Giraffes are called cows, males are bulls, and babies are called calves.
  2. A Giraffe’s heart weighs around 25 pounds.
  3. A baby Giraffe stands at 6 feet tall and around 150 pounds.
  4. The neck of a Giraffe weighs 600 pounds!
  5. Giraffes are on the Endangered Species List. 
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  1. Each Giraffe has unique spots, like human fingerprints; no two spots are the same.
  2. The darker the spots on a male Giraffe, the older they are.
  3. To stay alert to predators, giraffes sleep standing up.
  4. Giraffes can not bend their neck to drink water, so they have to splay their legs to get low enough.
  5. A group of Giraffes is called a Tower.
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  1. A Giraffe has a Tower of around 15 members.
  2. Female Giraffes live longer than male Giraffes.
  3. There is an estimated 111,000 Giraffes in the world.
  4. Giraffes pick their nose with their tongue.
  5. After Elephants and Rhinos, the Giraffe is the third heaviest mammal in the world.
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  1. The hooves of a Giraffe measure 12 inches, which is needed to keep them stable.
  2. Giraffes only have to drink once every few days.
  3. You can tell the difference between species of Giraffes by the shape of their spots.
  4. Each Giraffe has high blood all the time.
  5. Giraffes were once called Camel Leopards.
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  1. Female Giraffes babysit each other’s young while they go foraging for food.
  2. The average Giraffe has a neck length of 6 feet.
  3. June 21st is World Giraffe Day!
  4. There are also subspecies of Giraffes: Angolan Giraffe, Nubian Giraffe, West African Giraffe, Rothschild Giraffe, and Kordofan Giraffe.
  5. A Giraffe’s tongue is around 18 inches long, and they use it to grab things.

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  1. A mother Giraffe carries her baby for 15 months.
  2. The Okapi is the only genetic relative of the Giraffe.
  3. When running, Giraffes can reach 35 miles per hour.
  4. Once a baby Giraffe is born, it can walk within an hour.
  5. The Okapi is the only genetic relative of the Giraffe. 
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  1. Giraffes have 32 teeth just like humans.
  2. Baby Giraffes double their birth height by one year of age.
  3. There are an estimated 111,000 Giraffes in the world.
  4. Giraffes are native to the sub-Sahara regions of Africa.
  5. The spots on the Giraffe are not only pretty but also functional. They release heat from the Giraffe’s body.
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  1. The neck vertebra of a Giraffe is around 10 inches long, and they have 7 of them.
  2. To stay connected, at night, Giraffes hum to locate the other members of their herd.
  3. Giraffes are on the Endangered Species List.
  4. A baby Giraffe will receive milk from its mother for around 6 months until it is tall enough to reach the leaves of trees.
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There you go! A LONG list of giraffe facts! Want to turn these facts into a fun lesson? Grab a giraffe headband template and have them write their favorite fact on the headband!

If you learn something you didn’t know before, leave a comment with what you learned! We’d love to know!

Are you looking for more fun and engaging facts to share with your family? Check out these other posts for more facts!

 
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