7 Things You Didn’t Know About Giraffes

The giraffe is one of the savanna’s most iconic animals. With its long neck and majestic presence, it has fascinated scientists and animal lovers for centuries. But even though we all recognize its silhouette, the giraffe hides many surprises. Here are 7 things you (probably) didn’t know about this remarkable animal — and we’ve saved the wildest for last.

#1: Giraffes Have Black Tongues

A giraffe’s tongue can be up to 18 inches (45 cm) long and ranges in color from dark purple to nearly black. The dark pigment helps protect it from the sun’s rays as the giraffe spends hours reaching for leaves in treetops. The tongue is also extremely flexible and precise — almost like a finger.

#2: They Hardly Sleep

Giraffes are among the least-sleeping animals on the planet. An adult giraffe typically sleeps only 30 minutes to two hours a day — and usually in short naps. Most of the time they sleep standing up, though they occasionally lie down and bend their necks backward in a strange, cat-like position.

#3: They Communicate with Infrasound

While giraffes seem silent, they actually communicate using sounds too low for the human ear to detect. These infrasound vibrations help them stay in touch over long distances — especially at night, when visibility is limited.

#4: They Have the Same Number of Neck Vertebrae as Humans

Despite their incredibly long necks, giraffes have exactly the same number of cervical vertebrae as humans: seven. However, each vertebra can be over 10 inches (25 cm) long and is held together by powerful ligaments and muscles, giving the neck both strength and flexibility.

#5: There Are Several Giraffe Species

Many people think there’s only one species of giraffe, but recent research has identified at least four distinct species living in different parts of Africa. These species are genetically as different from each other as polar bears are from brown bears — yet they still look remarkably similar.

#6: Their Kick Can Kill a Lion

Giraffes may look peaceful, but they are not defenseless. A well-aimed kick from a giraffe can easily crush a lion’s skull. This makes giraffes a force to be reckoned with — especially if you’re a predator looking for your next meal.

#7: Their Blood Pressure Is Extremely High

Because of the giraffe’s long neck, it takes incredibly high blood pressure to push blood all the way to the brain. Their heart is both large and powerful — weighing about 25 pounds (11 kg) and pumping blood at twice the pressure of a human heart. If a human doctor saw a giraffe’s blood pressure, it would be considered dangerously high — but for a giraffe, it’s essential for survival.

Our team may have used AI to assist in the creation of this content, which has been reviewed by our editors.