Giraffes are some of the coolest and weirdest animals on the planet! We’ve complied these fun facts about giraffes for you to find out more!

If you liked these, make sure to check out more animal facts here, and maybe you’ll have a right gi-laugh at our giraffe jokes.  You can also head over to animal quizzes to test your knowledge on all kinds of critters!

1. Giraffes are the tallest mammal on earth

That’s right, they don’t get any taller! Unless a blue whale was to stand up on its tail (unlikely) the giraffe is the tallest mammel, and can grow up to 6 metres tall! Must be useful at the cinema! 

2. Giraffe spots are unique

A bit like human fingerprints, no two giraffes have the same spots, making each of theme unique! 

3. The Romans called them ‘Cameleopards’

This is because they looked a bit like camels, but with spots like a leopard! Cameleopards a bit of a weird word though, so maybe giraffe is easier to remember!

4. They need hardly any sleep

Giraffe sleep for only about 30 minutes TOTAL each day! They do most of this through short naps, and don’t need much shut eye at all! Could you stay awake for 23 hours? 

5. Their necks can’t reach the ground

Although they have long necks, they also have long legs which makes reaching the ground almost impossible. This is why giraffes stoop with their legs splayed when they need to drink. It’s pretty funny to watch!

6. They sleep standing up

Not only do giraffes need a minimum amount of snooze time, they can do it standing up! They also give birth standing up, so they spend most of their time on their feet! Sounds pretty tiring!

7. Their horns are called ossicones

These are little horns made out of cartilage, and both male and female giraffes have them, as well as other similar animals like okapis.  Sometimes when the males fight, they will butt each other with these little horns. You have to admit, it’s not very scary. 

8. They are found on the African Savannah

Giraffes can be found on the African savannah, in countries like Kenya, Botswana and Zimbabwe. They like wide open plains to roam over, as well as places with watering holes and tall trees to provide them with food. 

9. Their legs are taller than most people

A giraffe’s legs alone can be six foot tall, taller than the average human! It must be a bit like walking around on stilts all day, but at least you could reach everything on the top shelf of the fridge! 

10. They have super long tongues

Not only do they have long necks and legs, a giraffes tongue is also oversized, often as long as  21 inches -that’s about two rulers! Their tongues help them scoop up leaves from high branches on the tops of trees. Clever!

11. There’s a World Giraffe Day!

World Giraffe Day is celebrated on June 21! It’s an annual event dedicated to these long-necked, hoofed mammals on the longest day (or night depending on where you live!) of the year!

12. There are four types of giraffe!

There are four kinds of giraffe: the southern, the northern, the Masai, and the reticulated!

13. Giraffes have relatives!

Do giraffes really have relatives? Yes… and they’re actually stripy! A giraffe’s closest living relative is the okapi.

14. Giraffes are like bees, in a way!

It’s not just bees that pollinate – giraffe indirectly transfer pollen from flower to flower as they forage through the treetops. 

15. Giraffes don’t have many bones in their neck!

You’d think that with such long necks, there’d be lots of bones? Wrong! Giraffe have seven vertebrae in their necks, just like we humans! 

16. Giraffes are known as ungulates!

An ungulate is a mammal that has hooves. Other ungulates include horses, camels, cattle, deer and hippopotami!

17. Giraffe hooves are really wide!

A giraffe’s hooves are roughly the same size as dinner plates and stop the animals from sinking into sand!

18. There’s a special word for a collection of giraffes!

A group of giraffes is known as a tower.

18. Giraffes can hum!

Why do they hum? Because they don’t know the words! But researchers say there’s a proper reason – to communicate with other giraffes. And they tend to hum at night!

19. Giraffes can go without water for up to three days!

Giraffes can manage to go without water for a few days because they get their water from the food they eat, including plant dew!

20. Male giraffes wrestle to decide who’s the boss of their territory!

They wrestle by using their long necks and will bang their heads together while they fight. Giraffe skulls are really tough.