Facts about Giraffe’s

Giraffes are the tallest mammals on Earth. Their legs alone are taller than many humans about 6 feet. They can run as fast as 35 miles an hour over short distances, or cruise at 10 mph over longer distances. A giraffe’s neck is too short to reach the ground. As a result, it has to awkwardly spread its front legs or kneel to reach the ground for a drink of water. Giraffes only need to drink once every few days. Most of their water comes from all the plants they eat. Giraffes spend most of their lives standing up; they even sleep and give birth standing up. A giraffe’s spots are much like human fingerprints. No two individual giraffes have exactly the same pattern. Both male and female giraffes have two distinct, hair-covered horns called ossicones. Male giraffes use their horns to sometimes fight with other males. giraffes only need 5 to 30 minutes of sleep in a 24-hour period! They often achieve that in quick naps that may last only a minute or two at a time