🦒 Secrets of Giraffes
/🦒 Secrets of Giraffes
🚀 Let’s Go Exploring!
/🚀 Let’s Go Exploring!
Giraffes are the tallest land animals on Earth, with long necks that seem to stretch up to the sky.
/Giraffes are the tallest land animals on Earth, with long necks that seem to stretch up to the sky.
Their necks help them reach leaves high in trees that other animals cannot get, especially tasty acacia leaves.
/Their necks help them reach leaves high in trees that other animals cannot get, especially tasty acacia leaves.
But a giraffe’s neck has only seven bones—the same number as most mammals, including humans—each bone much longer and stronger to make the neck work like a powerful tower.
/But a giraffe’s neck has only seven bones—the same number as most mammals, including humans—each bone much longer and stronger to make the neck work like a powerful tower.
Giraffes have a spotted coat that acts like a secret map.
/Giraffes have a spotted coat that acts like a secret map.
Each pattern of spots is unique, like a fingerprint, helping scientists and other giraffes tell one another apart.
/Each pattern of spots is unique, like a fingerprint, helping scientists and other giraffes tell one another apart.
Their spots also help them hide in the dappled light of the savanna; the blocks of dark and light break up their shape so predators can’t see them as easily.
/Their spots also help them hide in the dappled light of the savanna; the blocks of dark and light break up their shape so predators can’t see them as easily.
A giraffe’s tongue is another amazing tool.
/A giraffe’s tongue is another amazing tool.
It can be about 45 centimeters (18 inches) long, dark-colored to prevent sunburn, and tough enough to grab thorny leaves without getting hurt.
/It can be about 45 centimeters (18 inches) long, dark-colored to prevent sunburn, and tough enough to grab thorny leaves without getting hurt.
Giraffes can eat hundreds of pounds of leaves each week, and they spend a lot of time walking and browsing across wide grasslands to find the best food.
/Giraffes can eat hundreds of pounds of leaves each week, and they spend a lot of time walking and browsing across wide grasslands to find the best food.
Giraffes sleep and rest in short bursts—sometimes standing up, sometimes lying down with their heads tucked in.
/Giraffes sleep and rest in short bursts—sometimes standing up, sometimes lying down with their heads tucked in.
Because they are so tall, sleeping makes them vulnerable, so they sleep only a few minutes at a time and usually for a total of just a few hours each day.
/Because they are so tall, sleeping makes them vulnerable, so they sleep only a few minutes at a time and usually for a total of just a few hours each day.
Giraffes live in groups called towers.
/Giraffes live in groups called towers.
A tower can be a loose collection of females and their young, while males may wander between groups.
/A tower can be a loose collection of females and their young, while males may wander between groups.
Mothers are very protective of their calves and often keep them near the center of the group where it’s safer.
/Mothers are very protective of their calves and often keep them near the center of the group where it’s safer.
🎯 Let’s try a quiz!
/🎯 Let’s try a quiz!
Quiz 1: Why do giraffes have long necks? A. To fly B. To reach high leaves C. To swim
/Quiz 1: Why do giraffes have long necks? A. To fly B. To reach high leaves C. To swim
→ Answer: B. To reach high leaves!
/→ Answer: B. To reach high leaves!
Quiz 2: What is special about a giraffe’s tongue? A. It glows in the dark B. It is very short C. It is long, dark, and tough
/Quiz 2: What is special about a giraffe’s tongue? A. It glows in the dark B. It is very short C. It is long, dark, and tough
→ Answer: C. It is long, dark, and tough!
/→ Answer: C. It is long, dark, and tough!
🕵️♀️ What Will We Discover Next?
/🕵️♀️ What Will We Discover Next?
Giraffes have more surprises.
/Giraffes have more surprises.
Their hearts are huge and powerful—about the size of a small suitcase—so they can pump blood all the way up to the brain.
/Their hearts are huge and powerful—about the size of a small suitcase—so they can pump blood all the way up to the brain.
Their blood vessels have special valves that keep blood flowing properly when they lower and raise their heads.
/Their blood vessels have special valves that keep blood flowing properly when they lower and raise their heads.
Giraffes also communicate with low sounds and body signals that people don’t always hear, and researchers are still learning what those quiet messages mean.
/Giraffes also communicate with low sounds and body signals that people don’t always hear, and researchers are still learning what those quiet messages mean.
There are still many giraffe mysteries waiting for curious minds.
/There are still many giraffe mysteries waiting for curious minds.
Do you want to learn how baby giraffes take their first wobbly steps, or how giraffes protect themselves from thirsty days and hot sun?
/Do you want to learn how baby giraffes take their first wobbly steps, or how giraffes protect themselves from thirsty days and hot sun?
Grab a notebook, draw a tower of giraffes, and think of three questions you’d love to ask a giraffe scientist.
/Grab a notebook, draw a tower of giraffes, and think of three questions you’d love to ask a giraffe scientist.
Then go explore—your next small discovery could become a big adventure!
/Then go explore—your next small discovery could become a big adventure!
