I hope you’ll have as much fun learning these 22 freakish facts about giraffes as I had putting them together for you. I’m sure you already know that giraffes are the tallest land animals. But did you know…???
Interesting Giraffe Facts
1. A giraffe’s 6-foot (1.8-meter) neck weighs about 600 pounds (272 kilograms).
2. The legs of a giraffe are also 6 feet (1.8 meters) long.
3. The back legs look shorter than the front legs, but they are about the same length.
4. A giraffe’s heart is 2 feet (0.6 meters) long and weighs about 25 pounds (11 kilograms).
5. A giraffe’s lungs can hold 12 gallons (55 liters) of air!
6. The average length of a giraffe’s tongue is 20 inches, and they can grab things with it.
7. Their tongues are black to prevent them from getting sunburned. They stick their tongues out that much.
8. Male giraffes will use their extraordinarily long tongues to taste the pee of female giraffes to determine if they’re ovulating.
9. Female giraffes are pregnant for 15 months.
10. Giraffes sleep a maximum of two hours a day, and usually for under 10 minutes at a time.
11. Giraffes have been recorded KICKING LIONS.
12. Who’s the king of the jungle now?
13. Giraffes give birth standing up, which means the first thing a baby giraffe experiences is a six-foot-drop onto the cold, hard ground.
14. Giraffes are the only animals born with their horns, which are called ossicones.
15. Giraffes fight by whipping their heads at each other.
16. They can sprint up to 35 miles per hour.
17. Giraffes walk at ten mph without even trying because their legs are so long.
18. But giraffes can live without water longer than a camel can.
19. A giraffe’s blood pressure is twice that of humans and is necessary to keep blood flowing all the way up to their heads.
20. No two giraffes have the same pattern of spots, but giraffes that live in the same area tend to have similar coats.
21. Giraffe herds have almost no defined social structure or hierarchy.
22. The giraffe’s closest relative is the okapi.
Her own animal experience is vast, having raised and rescued Alpine Goats, Chickens, Turkeys, Vietnamese Pot Bellied Pigs, Turtles, Raccoons, Cats, Dogs, and even an Opossum and Bearded Dragon.
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These were really very good facts here. I read them to my husband.
You educated two people at once!!
Thank You!
You’re welcome! I’m glad you got something out of it. 🙂
I DID so enjoy these facts that I did NOT know about Giraffes! Thank you for teaching me something today! These pics are pinned on my pinterest now.
I wish *I* only needed 2 hours of sleep…
hmm things i never knew…lol
Wow, I had no idea they were so unique! Thank you Jeannie. Keep it up! Jon
As a homeschooling parent I love to find funny animal facts to get my kids more interested in learning about animals and nature. This definitely did it! I would love to see more like this.
If you described a giraffe from a scientific point of view, it shouldn’t exist. I’m sure God makes creatures like this to show rules don’t always apply.
Both of the zoos here allow you to pet and feed them!
I must admit all of these info I did not know! Thanks for sharing all these details about giraffes. Glad we don’t get pregnant like them for 15 months!!
Freakish indeed Jeanne. The 600 pound neck stands out in my mind, big time. Thanks so much for the neat share.
Really cool information! I like learning about random things like this and enjoy finding out new things about any animal. As far as other animals I would like to learn about … I wouldn’t mind learning more about Orcas. My daughter had me watch Blackfish last weekend and I am intrigued about them now and would love to learn more.
I never knew this about giraffes! What amazing creatures.
What a fun post! I think I will share this one with my daughter.
We have a huge giraffe herd at our zoo. Totally going to bring these facts with us to the zoo next time as we talk with them. Thanks!
This is such a cool blog post! I’m now fascinated w the giraffe. I could have gone without knowing number 8. Looking at them running is quite freakish looking. So interesting. Thanks
Hi Jeanne,
Here you again come up with an awesome post!!! 🙂
wow….. wonderful facts and honestly I’m totally unaware from all the freakish facts about giraffe.
Thanks for sharing.
Those are some pretty interesting facts. I have to admit I had no idea a giraffe could run 35mph. I find that very interesting. I have never really studied the giraffe so I am very appreciative of your facts you have laid out here Jeanne. Thanks for sharing.
Hi everyday I love your site more, now giraffes I didn’t know all theses facts Thanks
Hi Jeanne –
I love Giraffes. I know I probably didn’t share this with you but I had two opportunities late last fall, one in Dallas and the other being in Phoenix to pet and feed Giraffes. It was so fun, and they are so kind too. I’ve noticed that these opportunities have been popping up at zoos, because my friend had an opportunity as well. You should give it a try if you are nearby a local zoo that does it.