Giraffes are the tallest gentle giants on earth that roam the Savannahs of Africa freely. Here are five interesting facts about giraffes.
- Giraffes silent communication
Contrary to popular belief that giraffes don’t make sounds, they communicate using low frequency sounds (infra-sound) that is inaudible to us. The length of their necks makes it hard for the vocals to be loud enough for humans to hear.
- Standing births
Female giraffes gives birth while standing up, forcing the baby giraffe to drop from approximately six feet from the mother to the ground. Within an hour after birth, the baby giraffes are able to walk.
- Big Hearts
Giraffes have big hearts, the size of a small car battery, that weighs about 12 kilograms. These enormous hearts are able to pump blood to their gigantic bodies and also have special valves to avoid blood from rushing to their heads while drinking water.
- Drinking Water Position
From their long legs and neck, the giraffes have a unique way of drinking water whereby they spread their front legs and bend their long necks to the river. This position is a sight to behold compared to how other animals drink water.
- Strength and Resilience
Giraffes are incredibly strong. It takes half a dozen experienced lions to bring down one adult giraffe. Giraffes are known to kick with both their front and hind legs. A single kick to the head is known to kill predators.