1. Even when giraffes are 1st born they are taller than most humans. Within only a half hour baby giraffes can stand and ten hours after that they can run next to the rest of their family. Giraffes are the world’s tallest mammal, their legs alone are taller than most humans at around six feet. These towering legs allow giraffes to run up to thirty five miles an hour over a short distance. When they want to just take their time they can run a comfortable ten miles an hour.
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2. No two giraffes have the same spot pattern, similar to snowflakes and human fingerprints, each one is unique in its own way.
3. Did you know that giraffe’s tongues are this dark purple/blue color? The color protects it from getting a sunburn. Thick saliva is believed to help protect the giraffe’s tongue and mouth to protect itself from some of the harmful side effects of some of their favorite food. It is used eat acacias, which are very thorny, other animals tend to avoid these. Giraffe’s tongues are huge! Their tongues can reach up to 45cm long.
4. Believe it or not, when Giraffes fight they use their long necks like swords and hit each other with them. Male giraffes also use their horns to fight other males. They also use their legs that are very powerful and have hard, sharp ends to them. Their kick is so powerful it could not only kill a lion, but also actually cut its head off if it got the right angle! Very few predators bother an adult giraffe.
5. Did you know if a giraffe drank coffee it would be cold by the time it reached its stomach? Luckily enough, a giraffe only needs to drink once every few days. Most of their water comes off the plants they eat.
6. Even though there is a conception that giraffes do not make any sounds, this is untrue. In fact giraffes snort, hiss, and make flute-like sounds beyond the range of human hearing.
7. Giraffe’s necks are actually too short! They can’t fully extend to touch the ground! This becomes a problem when they need to drink water on the ground. In order to reach the ground they need to spread their front legs and lower their neck down very awkwardly which leaves them very clumsy and vulnerable to predators.
