random facts about giraffes

1. New-born giraffes stand at around 6 feet tall, making them taller than most adult humans.
2. Although giraffes are very tall, they don’t sleep much. Most of them get around 10 minutes to two hours of sleep per day.
3. Even when they get the little amount of sleep required each day, they don’t lie down. Giraffes go to sleep standing up most of the time.
4. They are also able to give birth while standing up, meaning that these creatures rarely have an excuse to lie down!
5. Within just 10 hours of their birth, baby giraffes can run with their families without struggling.
6. The patterns on a giraffe are totally unique – no two giraffes are ever the same!
7. Giraffes used to be known as ‘camel leopards’, due to their tall structure and leopard-like pattern. The scientific name today has not changed – Camelopardalis.
8. The name was given to these creatures by Julius Caesar, who received a giraffe as a gift and was thrilled with it! After showing it off to the people of Rome, he ended up feeding it to the lions.
9. Their tongues can be as long as 45cm, allowing them to get their lunch from very tall trees!
10. Between their pregnancies, female giraffes only have a two-week window in which to get pregnant.
11. Giraffes conserve water very well, mainly because they don’t sweat or pant when hot. Adult giraffes only need to find water once a day.
12. They can run up to speeds of 35 miles per hour, outrunning most horses.
13. Their long legs mean that they can cover plenty of space in a short amount of time, making their average walking speed around 10 miles per hour.
14. A giraffe’s sharp 12-inch hooves can cause a lot of damage, and could even kill a lion if necessary.
15. The Giraffe Dance has been popular in Africa since the 1950’s, supposedly curing and bringing strength to people. The dance consists of women sitting down while men dance around them in a circle.