Tallest Mammal in the World

This guideline will cover all the information you need about this fantastic animal’s size and characteristics, its behavior and lifestyle, and where you can find it in nature.

The Giraffe is truly an incredible animal, and many people are fascinated by this towering creature.

The giraffe is the tallest mammal in the world, with an average height of 18 feet (5.5 meters) for males and 14 feet (4.3 meters) for females.

Giraffes have extremely long necks, up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) long.

The neck contains only seven vertebrae, the same as most other mammals, but each bone is elongated.

The giraffe’s head is large and distinctive, with ossicones on top and horn-like structures covered in fur.

They have a long, prehensile tongue, which they use to grasp leaves and twigs from trees.

Giraffes usually live in savannahs, grasslands, and woodlands in sub-Saharan Africa.

Both male and female giraffes are social and usually live in herds, varying in size from a few individuals to over 20.

Male giraffes often engage in “necking” – a behavior where they swing or bash their necks against each other, usually as part of a competition for breeding rights.

Giraffes can sleep standing up or lying down, and they only need about 30 minutes of sleep per day, which they usually take in short naps.

Want to discover more about this incredible creature?

More From ANIMALS AROUND THE GLOBE

[{"selector":"#anim-e5743f01-d085-4d1f-8297-7833555bf393","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.15)","scale(0.985)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1200,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-f3b943a5-db83-4ba3-abdb-bce40a35b3dd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":100,"duration":1201,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-219af5fd-783e-43cd-b7b6-c1af96132808","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-27253015-e45d-4514-873b-e92ead3e8499","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.15)","scale(0.985)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1200,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}]

SWIPE UP NOW!

[{"selector":"#anim-acaa0a0f-14ec-4be3-9c22-46e53c9c8d49","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.15)","scale(0.985)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1200,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-cd79a958-7282-456f-b45e-34101b7a8fd7","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.15)","scale(0.985)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1200,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] Discover More!