Masai giraffe (G. c. tippelskirchi) in Mikumi National Park, Tanzania
Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)[1] (As the species complex)
Scientific classification
Domain:
Eukaryota
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Mammalia
Order:
Artiodactyla
Family:
Giraffidae
Genus:
Giraffa Brisson, 1762
Species:
G. camelopardalis
Binomial name
Giraffa camelopardalis
Linnaeus, 1758
Species
See taxonomy
Distribution of the giraffe
The giraffe is a large African hoofed mammal belonging to the genus Giraffa. It is the tallest living terrestrial animal and the largest ruminant on Earth. Traditionally, giraffes have been thought of as one species, Giraffa camelopardalis, with nine subspecies. Most recently, researchers proposed dividing them into up to eight extant species due to new research into their mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, and individual species can be distinguished by their fur coat patterns. Seven other extinct species of Giraffa are known from the fossil record.
The giraffe's chief distinguishing characteristics are its extremely long neck and legs, its horn-like ossicones, and its spotted coat patterns. It is classified under the family Giraffidae, along with its closest extant relative, the okapi. Its scattered range extends from Chad in the north to South Africa in the south, and from Niger in the west to Somalia in the east. Giraffes usually inhabit savannahs and woodlands. Their food source is leaves, fruits, and flowers of woody plants, primarily acacia species, which they browse at heights most other herbivores cannot reach.
Lions, leopards, spotted hyenas, and African wild dogs may prey upon giraffes. Giraffes live in herds of related females and their offspring or bachelor herds of unrelated adult males, but are gregarious and may gather in large aggregations. Males establish social hierarchies through "necking", combat bouts where the neck is used as a weapon. Dominant males gain mating access to females, which bear sole responsibility for rearing the young.
The giraffe has intrigued various ancient and modern cultures for its peculiar appearance, and has often been featured in paintings, books, and cartoons. It is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as vulnerable to extinction and has been extirpated from many parts of its former range. Giraffes are still found in numerous national parks and game reserves, but estimates as of 2016 indicate there are approximately 97,500 members of Giraffa in the wild. More than 1,600 were kept in zoos in 2010.
^Muller, Z.; Bercovitch, F.; Brand, R.; Brown, D.; Brown, M.; Bolger, D.; Carter, K.; Deacon, F.; Doherty, J.B.; Fennessy, J.; Fennessy, S.; Hussein, A.A.; Lee, D.; Marais, A.; Strauss, M.; Tutchings, A.; Wube, T. (2018) [amended version of 2016 assessment]. "Giraffa camelopardalis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T9194A136266699. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T9194A136266699.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
The giraffe is a large African hoofed mammal belonging to the genus Giraffa. It is the tallest living terrestrial animal and the largest ruminant on Earth...
radar—three land-based systems (Giraffe 1X, Giraffe 4A and Giraffe 8A) and two naval variants (Sea Giraffe 1X and Sea Giraffe 4A) in X- and S-band frequencies—to...
Masai giraffe (Giraffa tippelskirchi or Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi), also spelled Maasai giraffe, and sometimes called the Kilimanjaro giraffe, is...
The Giraffes can be one of the following bands: The Giraffes (Brooklyn band) The Giraffes (album) The Giraffes (Seattle band) Giraffe (disambiguation)...
(/oʊˈkɑːpiː/; Okapia johnstoni), also known as the forest giraffe, Congolese giraffe and zebra giraffe, is an artiodactyl mammal that is endemic to the northeast...
The Giraffe Centre is located in Lang'ata, approximately 20 kilometres (12 mi) from the centre of Nairobi, Kenya. It was established in order to protect...
The northern giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis), also known as three-horned giraffe, is the type species of giraffe, G. camelopardalis, and is native to...
The reticulated giraffe (Giraffa reticulata/Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata) is a species/subspecies of giraffe native to the Horn of Africa. It is...
The giraffe weevil (Trachelophorus giraffa) is a species of weevil endemic to Madagascar. These small weevils are black bodied and have bright red elytra...
Giraffe Manor is a small hotel in the Lang'ata suburb of Nairobi, Kenya which, together with its associated Giraffe Centre, serves as a home to a number...
The Nubian giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis or Giraffa camelopardalis camelopardalis), also known as Baringo giraffe or Ugandan giraffe, is the nominate...
giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis senegalensis), or just the Senegal giraffe, is a partially disputed, extinct subspecies of the West African giraffe that...
The southern giraffe (Giraffa giraffa), also known as two-horned giraffe, is a species of giraffe native to Southern Africa. However, the IUCN currently...
Steam Powered Giraffe is an American musical project formed in San Diego in 2008, self-described as "a musical act that combines robot pantomime, puppetry...
giraffe (Giraffa angolensis or Giraffa camelopardalis angolensis or Giraffa giraffa angolensis), also known as the Namibian giraffe or smokey giraffe...
The giraffe catfish, Auchenoglanis occidentalis, is an African catfish. It eats plants off the floor of lakes and streams. The diet of giraffe catfish...
Giraffe is a restaurant chain headquartered in Birmingham, United Kingdom, which was founded in 1998 in Hampstead as Giraffe Restaurants by Juliette Joffe...
'Gerald Giraffe'. He is the tallest kid in the playgroup as he is a giraffe. Mr. Giraffe aka Daddy Giraffe (voiced by Zeus Jahn-Vilnur) – Daddy Giraffe is...
The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me is a 1985 children's book written by Roald Dahl and illustrated by Quentin Blake. The plot follows a young boy named...
Sophie the Giraffe is a teether – a toy for teething infants to chew on – in the form of a 7-inch-high (180 mm) hevea rubber giraffe. The toy has been...
Hotel Giraffe is a luxury hotel in Rose Hill, Manhattan, New York City. It has won many awards, such as Best Boutique Hotel–2007, according to CitySearch...
became associated with the image of the giraffe in the Ming dynasty. The identification of the qilin with giraffes began after Zheng He's 15th-century voyage...
The Kordofan giraffe (Giraffa antiquorum or Giraffa camelopardalis antiquorum) is a species or subspecies of giraffe found in northern Cameroon, southern...
Prosopocoilus giraffa, the giraffe stag beetle, is the world's largest stag beetle and is a member of the family Lucanidae within the order Coleoptera...
Global Information
