8 Interesting Facts About Giraffes

Giraffes are one of the most awe-inspiring animals on the planet, and you may be surprised to learn there are some fascinating facts about them that you probably don’t know. These long-necked mammals are often seen as graceful and majestic, but they also have some strange features that separate them from the rest of the animal kingdom! Here are eight interesting facts about giraffes.

1) Fact 1 - A Double Heart

The first thing that makes a giraffe unusual is that they have double hearts. While humans have only one heart, giraffes have two hearts, so you might be thinking now Wait, don’t all animals have a heart? The answer is no: some animals don’t even need one to survive. For example, insects like cockroaches can live for several weeks with their hearts removed because they don’t need them to pump blood.

2) Fact 2 - Intelligent Behavior

In addition to being one of the most widespread and easily recognizable species, giraffes are also known for their intelligence. This fact is highlighted by a recent study that found these animals have strong short-term memories, allowing them to learn and recall patterns quickly. Giraffes can even recognize themselves in a mirror — an ability only previously seen in humans, great apes, dolphins, and elephants.

3) Fact 3 - Drinking from the Fire Hose

On average, a giraffe will drink about 36 gallons of water per day! To get that much water into its system, a giraffe must have access to clean drinking water. It’s estimated that more than 80% of wild giraffes in Africa have access to clean drinking water through natural sources like rivers and lakes. But for those animals that don’t live near fresh water sources, humans come to their rescue. In East Africa, many people rely on giraffes for their livelihoods and well-being. These locals provide bucket-fed wells so that wild giraffes can drink whenever they need to quench their thirst.

4) Fact 4 - Ouch! – Those Ossicones Hurt!

Imagine being hit in the head with a tennis ball over and over again; not fun, right? Well, that’s what happens to baby giraffes every time they nurse. Their mothers extend their necks over 2 m (6.5 ft) high to reach their short offspring. And each time she bends down for another meal, a baby giraffe gets bashed on top of its head!

5) Fact 5 - Life Expectancy & Birth Weight

A giraffe's life expectancy is roughly 25 years. The average birth weight of a giraffe is around 100 lbs. Fact 4 - Life Expectancy & Birth Weight: Male giraffes are slightly larger than females, but they have shorter necks and smaller horns. Male giraffes also develop red-brown patches on their legs during the breeding season, and their testicles swell to nearly five times their normal size. Female giraffes do not experience these changes in appearance or size during the breeding season. Their gestation period lasts between 14 and 15 months, after which they give birth to one calf at a time (twins are rare). At birth, calves weigh approximately 150 pounds and stand about 6 feet tall. After just one week, calves can run alongside their mothers as fast as 35 miles per hour!

6) Fact 6 - What's in a Name? The Word Giraffe Has Its Origins From an African Language

The word giraffe comes from a West African language, Wogorof which means one who walks swiftly. How's that for an interesting fact about giraffes? In addition to its origins in Africa, there are also several other languages in which it is used. For example Arabic: Djarafah French: Giraffe German: Giraffe Italian: Gheirafa Spanish: Jirafa

In addition to these words being used to describe a giraffe, they are also used as names of people and places. For example, there is a town called Giraff in Morocco and another called Jiraf in Algeria. There is also another place called Djara located in Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta). In addition to these locations, some people have chosen to use these words as their names including two famous footballers named Djibril Cisse and Yaya Touré.

7) Fact 7 - They Sleep Standing Up?!

The reason that giraffes sleep standing up is not completely understood by scientists. However, some scientists theorize that because their brains can process information while sleeping, they do not need to sleep in an upright position to keep their brains functioning. It is also thought that sleeping upright allows them to be on alert in case a predator approaches. During a full night of sleep, a giraffe may only lie down for two hours at a time. These long periods of sleep allow giraffes to get enough rest and recover from daily stress. The longest recorded time that a giraffe has slept was three days straight!

8) Fact 8 - Fossils Yield More Information

Scientists have been studying these fossils to learn more about how they lived. They have found that giraffes had evolved many adaptations to protect themselves from predators. These include their large size, powerful hooves, and a kick strong enough to kill a lion. It has also been discovered that at one point, giraffes were carnivores! Not only did they eat plants, but they sometimes ate meat as well. Their teeth helped them break down animal bones for food, which is why they did not need to chew their food as much as we do today.