The Official Houston Zoo Blog

The giraffes are pretty hard to miss here at the Houston Zoo, and even in the wild, for that matter. Being as they are the tallest mammals in the world, certainly their tall necks, looming above everyone and everything else, are the first things visible to guests at their exhibit.

There is much more to giraffes than meets the eye.

Giraffes seem so docile and friendly, and well, they really…are, even in the wild. Most animal species’ males attack and gore each other while in competition for a mate; giraffes only slam their huge necks into one another, rarely harming their foe. And how do they end these oh so “terrible” fights? Well, one of them gets so sick of it that…he turns around and walks away.

From birth, baby giraffes need to hit the ground running to survive in the wild, literally. Mom gives birth standing up, baby falls over five feet to the ground, 30 minutes later he or she can stand up, and, finally, a mere ten hours later, the little guy or girl is off and running with Mom. How’s that for no-nonsense parenting?

These animals’ large size, a benefit for many reasons, makes bending down to quench their thirst quite tricky (think about it! that neck!) and leaves them wide open to an attack from behind. But hey, that’s okay, because due to their leafy diet, giraffes only have to get a drink once every few days.

Tallest Mammal in the World

But perhaps the most unique thing about these “camelopards,” as they were once called by Ancient Romans, who believed they were a cross between a camel and a leopard, is that they sleep for just 30 minutes every day! Because in the wild they must be constantly aware of approaching predators, they only take five-minute naps about six times daily. Maybe these guys’ true coolest feature should be that they aren’t constantly cranky!

Writer: Stefanie Hanselka

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