Weight:
Males: 4,254 pounds Females: 2,601 pounds

Size: 18.7 feet tall from the ground to their horns

Life span: Average 10 to 15 years in the wild; recorded a maximum of 30 years

Habitat: Dense forest to open plains

Diet: Herbivorous

Gestation: Between 13 and 15 months

Predators: Humans, lions, leopards, hyenas, crocodiles

Estimated population of 97,500 individuals

Can gallop at 32-60 km/h

Native to more than 15 African countries



Where do giraffes live?

They have adapted to a variety of habitats and can be found in desert landscapes to woodland and savanna environments south of the Sahara, wherever trees occur.

What are giraffes?

They are the world’s tallest mammals. They are uniquely adapted to reach vegetation inaccessible to other herbivores. Unusually elastic blood vessels and uniquely adapted valves help offset the sudden buildup of blood (to prevent fainting) when giraffes’ heads are raised, lowered, or swung quickly. Their "horns" are actually knobs covered with skin and hair above the eyes that protect the head from injury. Their necks contain the same amount of vertebrae as we do (seven) except their bones are extremely elongated making their neck a long length of 2.4 meters.

Giraffes are extremely picky eaters. They feed 16 to 20 hours a day, but may only consume about 30 kilograms (about 30 pounds) of foliage during that time. These two ton mammals can survive on as little as seven kilograms (15 pounds) of foliage per day. While these browsers’ diverse diets have been reported to contain up to 93 different plant species, acacia trees have been found to be their favorite food source.

They are not heavy drinkers. Giraffes drink water when it is available. They don’t need to drink water on a daily basis, which allows them to survive in areas with scarce water.

Young giraffes are self-sufficient but vulnerable. Calves are about two meters tall and grow rapidly as much as two and half centimeters a day. By two months the young giraffe is eating leaves and at six months is fairly independent of its mother. A young giraffe can even survive early weaning at two or three months. Although few predators attack adult giraffes, lions, hyenas, and leopards take their toll on the young. Scientists report that only one quarter of infants survive to adulthood due to the high rates of predation.

Challenges Humans hunt giraffes for their hides and meat. Giraffe tails are highly prized by many African cultures. The desire for good-luck bracelets, fly whisks, and thread for sewing or stringing beads have led people to kill the giraffe for its tail alone. Giraffes are easily killed and poaching (now more often for their meat and hide) continues today.

Giraffes are quickly losing their living spaces. The number of giraffes in the wild is shrinking as their habitats shrink. In the late 19th and 20th centuries herds of 20 to 30 animals were recorded, now on average herd sizes contain fewer than six individuals. The IUCN lists four main threats to this species: habitat loss, civil unrest, illegal hunting, and ecological changes (climate change and habitat conversion). As human populations grow and increase agricultural activities, expand settlements, and construct roads, the giraffe is losing its beloved acacia trees, which are its main source of food.

Our solutions to conserving the giraffe:

Educate local communities in conservation We educate communities living near giraffes on the importance of sustainable practices for agricultural and settlement growth by providing training on sustainable — and more productive — agricultural practices and incentivizing conservation agriculture when appropriate.

Reforest key areas. AWF has reforested acacia trees in West Africa to provide more food for the giraffe and allow it to expand its habitat.