100 Great Giraffe Facts + Trivia Questions [Free Printable]

Are you ready to stretch your necks and reach for some towering tales about one of the tallest animals on Earth? Let’s take a safari into the world of giraffes with these fun giraffe facts. Once you discover the facts, test your knowledge with our giraffe trivia questions. See how many and your family cab get right on the first try.

Did you know that no two giraffes have the same pattern of spots? That’s right! Each giraffe’s coat is like a special fingerprint, completely unique to them. These spots are not just for style; they help giraffes blend into the trees and bushes of the African savannah where they live, hiding them from predators.

Giraffes are also known for their impressive height. They are the tallest land animals in the world, with some males reaching up to 18 feet tall! Their long necks help them reach leaves high up in the trees, making it easy for them to munch on their favorite snacks.

And here’s giraffe trivia question for you: How many vertebrae as in a giraffes neck? Even though giraffes have such long necks, they have the same number of neck vertebrae as humans—just seven! Each vertebra is super long, which is why their necks are so long.

Are you ready to learn more amazing facts about giraffes? Let’s keep exploring and uncover all the incredible facts about these gentle giants of the savannah!

For more trivia fun, be sure to check out all our trivia questions! And don’t forget to download our giraffe facts and trivia so you can take them with you wherever you go!

Love animal facts and trivia? Check out our tiger facts and trivia questions!

Jump to the Facts and Trivia!

• Giraffe Facts
• Giraffe Trivia for Kids
• Hard Giraffe Trivia

Why I Love Facts and Trivia as A Mom

Using facts and trivia about giraffes can be a fantastic way for a family to bond and engage in fun learning activities together. Here are a few things we so with these giraffe facts and trivia to bring our family closer together.

1. Trivia Night: Host a family trivia night where questions are based on tiger facts. You can create a game show atmosphere with buzzers, prizes, and themed snacks. It’s a great way to learn together and enjoy some friendly competition.
2. Creative Arts and Crafts: Encourage your family to create giraffe bookmark and this cute giraffe headband. giraffe facts while crafting can enrich the experience and stimulate creativity.
3. Educational Outings: Plan a visit to a nearby zoo or wildlife sanctuary that houses giraffes. Before the visit, share facts about giraffes to build excitement and awareness. During the visit, you can spot behaviors and characteristics you learned about, making the experience more engaging and educational.
4. Storytelling Sessions: Use the facts about giraffes to tell stories or create a family storybook. Each family member could contribute a chapter about a giraffe’s adventure, incorporating the facts learned. This not only enhances creativity but also helps in retaining information in a fun way.
5. Movie Nights: Watch documentaries or films about giraffe, and use the facts as a discussion starter before and after the movie. Discussing what was accurate or dramatized can be both fun and educational.

By integrating these activities into your family, you can enjoy learning together, foster a sense of teamwork, and create lasting memories—all while gaining a greater appreciation for these incredible animals.

Giraffe Facts

Let’s pounce into these amazing giraffe facts that will make you the expert on one of the wildest animals in the jungle!

1. Giraffes are the tallest mammals on Earth.
2. Their legs alone can be taller than many humans—about 6 feet.
3. A giraffe’s neck is too short to reach the ground. That’s why they need to awkwardly spread their legs or kneel to drink water.
4. Despite their long necks, giraffes have the same number of neck vertebrae as humans—just seven.
5. Each vertebra in a giraffe’s neck is super long!
6. Giraffes can run as fast as 35 miles an hour over short distances.
7. They can cruise at 10 miles an hour over longer distances.
8. A giraffe’s height helps it to keep a lookout for predators, such as lions and hyenas.
9. Their excellent eyesight also allows them to spot hungry beasts from far away.
10. Giraffes are herbivores, which means they eat plants.
11. A favorite giraffe meal is acacia leaves, which they strip off the branches with their long tongues.
12. A giraffe’s tongue is so long—up to 21 inches—that it can lick almost any part of its face!
13. Their tongue is dark blueish in color, which is thought to help protect it from sunburn.
14. Giraffes eat most of the day, and they can consume up to 75 pounds of foliage daily.
15. Despite eating so much, giraffes only need to drink water every few days.
16. Most giraffes have two hair-covered horns called ossicones.
17. Giraffes can rest standing up, but they sometimes also lie down with their necks propped up against a tree.
18. They only need 5 to 30 minutes of sleep in a 24-hour period!
19. Giraffes are known for their spots. Each giraffe has a unique pattern of spots.
20. The age of a giraffe can be guessed from its spots—the darker the spots, the older the giraffe.
21. Baby giraffes are called calves.
22. Within a few hours of being born, calves can run around and are almost indistinguishable from a week-old calf.
23. Calves stay close to their mothers and drink her milk for about a year.
24. The gestation period for a giraffe is about 15 months.
25. A newborn giraffe is about 6 feet tall.
26. Giraffes live in groups called towers.
27. Towers can consist of 10 to 20 members depending on the food availability and population.
28. Male giraffes are called bulls.
29. Female giraffes are called cows.
30. Giraffes don’t have strong social ties like elephants, but they do hang out in informal groups.
31. The lifespan of a giraffe in the wild is about 25 years.
32. In captivity, giraffes can live a few years longer due to regular meals and medical care.
33. Giraffes are native to Africa and are found from Chad in the north to South Africa in the south.
34. Giraffes prefer to inhabit savannahs, grasslands, and open woodlands.
35. Their hooves are the size of a dinner plate—about 12 inches across.
36. Giraffes have a special valve in their neck that stops the blood from rushing to their head when they bend down to drink.
37. The heart of a giraffe is 2 feet long and weighs about 25 pounds.
38. Their heart beats up to 170 times per minute, double that of a human’s.
39. The blood pressure of a giraffe is also double that of a human.
40. This high blood pressure helps pump blood all the way up to their brains.
41. Giraffes have a loping gait, moving both right legs and then both left legs when they run.
42. They are peaceful animals and rarely fight.
43. When males do fight, it’s called “necking.” They swing their necks and headbutt each other’s bodies.
44. Males determine dominance by the height and weight of their neck.
45. A giraffe’s coat pattern provides camouflage that helps it blend into the trees and bushes of its natural habitat.
46. The color of a giraffe’s spots may serve as a thermoregulation mechanism, releasing heat through the large, dark patches.
47. Giraffes have a prehensile (gripping) tongue to grab leaves and twigs.
48. Their saliva has antiseptic properties that can heal their own wounds.
49. Giraffes are usually quiet, but they can moo, hiss, roar, and whistle to communicate.
50. The closest living relative to the giraffe is the okapi.
51. The scientific name for the giraffe is Giraffa camelopardalis.
52. Giraffes have been depicted in art from rock paintings in Libya dating back to 6000 B.C.
53. Ancient Egyptians kept giraffes as pets and revered them for their peculiar appearance.
54. A giraffe’s footprint is unique like human fingerprints.
55. No two giraffes have exactly the same pattern of spots.
56. Giraffes have been around for over a million years.
57. Giraffe ancestors were not as tall and had shorter necks.
58. Fossil records show that giraffes lived in Europe and Asia millions of years ago.
59. Giraffe tails are highly prized by many African cultures. They use the hair for bracelets and the tail for fly-whisks.
60. The population of giraffes has decreased by about 40% in the last three decades.
61. There are four species of giraffe as of a recent genetic study.
62. The four species are the Southern giraffe, Masai giraffe, Reticulated giraffe, and Northern giraffe.
63. The Masai giraffe has jagged spots on its body.
64. The Reticulated giraffe has large, polygonal liver-colored spots outlined by a network of bright white lines.
65. The Northern giraffe has various sub-species with different types of spot patterns.
66. Conservation efforts for giraffes include anti-poaching patrols and habitat restoration.
67. Giraffes are poached for their meat, coat, and tails.
68. The Rothschild’s giraffe is one of the most endangered giraffe species with only a few hundred left in the wild.
69. Giraffes can be crossbred in captivity, which can result in offspring with blended spot patterns.
70. In the past, people incorrectly believed that giraffes were mute.
71. Giraffes can close their muscular nostrils to protect against sandstorms and ants.
72. Giraffes have large eyes that give them good all-round vision from their great height.
73. Giraffes are at risk from lions; young calves are especially vulnerable.
74. Giraffes have a symbiotic relationship with some birds, like the oxpecker, which eat parasites off their skin.
75. The age of a giraffe can be estimated from its spots: the darker the spots, the older the giraffe.
76. Giraffe pregnancies are among the longest for mammals.
77. A giraffe calf can stand up and walk after about an hour of being born.
78. Giraffes spend most of their lives standing up; they even sleep and give birth standing up.
79. Giraffes have a distinct walking gait where both legs on one side move together.
80. The coat pattern of a giraffe acts as a fingerprint—no two are exactly alike.
81. The okapi was once thought to be a myth and is known as the “African unicorn.”
82. Giraffes rarely lay down; they even sleep standing up.
83. Baby giraffes grow about an inch a day during the first week of life.
84. Giraffes are a protected species throughout much of Africa.
85. The average stride length of a giraffe is about 15 feet.
86. Giraffes have a large, bushy tail used to swat flies and other insects.
87. Their neck is shorter than their legs, which is unique among mammals.
88. Giraffes have been transported around the world as diplomatic gifts, zoo attractions, and circus performers.
89. Ancient Romans and Greeks thought giraffes were a mix between a camel and a leopard.
90. A giraffe’s spots are much like snowflakes; no two individual giraffes have exactly the same pattern.
91. Giraffes are very resilient and can survive in harsh environments.
92. They have a slow reproductive rate, which is why population recovery takes a long time.
93. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) works to double the number of giraffes in the wild by 2020.
94. Giraffes are ruminants, which means they have a stomach with multiple chambers that aids in digesting plants.
95. The giraffe was once called “camelopard,” which is derived from its camel-like shape and leopard-like spots.
96. Julius Caesar once brought a giraffe back to Rome to feature in extravagant games.
97. Giraffes only have two gaits: walking and galloping.
98. A giraffe’s jump can be up to 15 feet in length.
99. Male giraffes sometimes engage in necking as a form of combat.
100. Giraffes have inspired art, literature, and even architecture around the world.

Giraffe Trivia for Kids

Ready to test out your giraffe fact knowledge to the test? Get ready with these giraffe facts for kids.

Hard Giraffe Trivia

Want some hard giraffe trivia questions? See if you can answer these questions!

1. What is the scientific name of the giraffe?
   Answer: Giraffa camelopardalis
2. How many bones are there in a giraffe’s neck?
   Answer: Seven
3. What is the primary function of a giraffe’s ossicones?
   Answer: To protect the head during fights between males
4. Which giraffe species has a coat with leafy-shaped spots?
   Answer: Masai giraffe
5. How long can giraffes go without drinking water?
   Answer: Several days, as they get most of their water from their food
6. Giraffes have a unique walking gait known as “pacing.” What does this involve?
   Answer: Moving both legs on one side of their body at the same time
7. What are the primary predators of giraffes?
   Answer: Lions, hyenas, and crocodiles
8. How much can a mature giraffe’s heart weigh?
   Answer: Up to 25 pounds (about 11 kilograms)
9. How high can a giraffe raise its head from the ground?
   Answer: Up to 18 feet (about 5.5 meters)
10. What unique cardiovascular adaptation do giraffes have to prevent fainting when they lower and raise their heads?
    Answer: A specialized network of blood vessels with valves, called the rete mirabile
11. How many stomach chambers does a giraffe have?
    Answer: Four
12. How do giraffes sleep?
    Answer: Mainly standing up, but they can sleep lying down briefly
13. Which giraffe subspecies is recognized for its starkly white legs?
    Answer: Reticulated giraffe
14. Approximately how many pounds of leaves and twigs does a giraffe eat each day?
    Answer: Up to 75 pounds (about 34 kilograms)
15. What is the average lifespan of a giraffe in the wild?
    Answer: About 25 years
16. In what year did the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) last update the giraffe’s conservation status to vulnerable?
    Answer: 2016
17. What is the main method by which giraffes communicate over long distances?
    Answer: By infrasonic sound, which is below the range of human hearing
18. What characteristic feature differentiates the Northern giraffe from other species?
    Answer: Its three distinct subspecies and varied coat patterns
19. Why do giraffes have such large eyes?
    Answer: To spot predators from long distances
20. How quickly can a newborn giraffe start to walk after birth?
    Answer: Within an hour
21. What evolutionary advantage does a giraffe’s height provide besides predator surveillance?
    Answer: Access to higher foliage that competitors cannot reach
22. What color is a giraffe’s tongue and what is the speculated reason for this color?
    Answer: Dark blue or black, thought to protect it from sunburn
23. Which region of Africa are giraffes native to?
    Answer: Sub-Saharan Africa
24. What is the function of a giraffe’s thick and sticky saliva?
    Answer: To help them consume thorny plants like acacia without injury
25. How do giraffes thermoregulate, or manage their body temperature, given their large size?
    Answer: Through their large, heat-releasing spots
26. Which cultural practice involves the use of giraffe tails?
    Answer: They are used to make fly whisks and ceremonial headdresses in some African cultures
27. What role does necking play in a giraffe’s life?
    Answer: It is used by males to establish dominance for mating rights
28. How many hours per day does a giraffe typically spend eating?
    Answer: Up to 16 hours
29. What is the gestation period for a giraffe?
    Answer: About 15 months
30. Which human practice has historically posed a significant threat to giraffe populations?
    Answer: Poaching for their hide, meat, and tails
31. How do giraffes’ coat patterns benefit their survival?
    Answer: Provides camouflage in their natural habitat
32. What type of biome do giraffes primarily inhabit?
    Answer: Savannas and open woodlands
33. What impact does habitat fragmentation have on giraffe populations?
    Answer: Reduces genetic diversity and increases susceptibility to disease
34. How many calves does a female giraffe typically birth at one time?
    Answer: One
35. What are the main components of a giraffe’s diet?
    Answer: Leaves, shoots, and occasionally fruits
36. At what age do giraffe calves typically wean from their mothers?
    Answer: Between 9 and 12 months
37. What height can a giraffe calf reach by its first birthday?
    Answer: About 10 feet (about 3 meters)
38. How do giraffes contribute to their ecosystems aside from being prey for predators?
    Answer: They help to prune foliage, which promotes growth of new plants
39. What genetic discovery was made about giraffes in 2016 that changed how they are classified?
    Answer: They are not one species, but four distinct species
40. How does a giraffe’s fur help it survive in a sometimes harsh African climate?
    Answer: Their fur contains parasites which are eaten by birds, keeping the giraffe clean and healthy
41. What phenomenon do giraffes experience due to their long necks when they quickly lower their heads?
    Answer: A rapid increase in blood pressure
42. What unique behavior do giraffes display that is rarely seen by humans?
    Answer: Drinking water, as they do it very cautiously and infrequently
43. Which giraffe species is considered the tallest?
    Answer: Northern giraffe
44. What is the term used to describe a group of giraffes?
    Answer: A tower
45. How does the giraffe’s long neck affect its vocalizations?
    Answer: Their long necks make it difficult to generate sufficient airflow through their larynx to create varied sounds
46. What conservation status does the IUCN list for the giraffe as of the latest update?
    Answer: Vulnerable
47. How does a giraffe’s vision compare to humans?
    Answer: They have excellent vision, able to detect movements from long distances
48. What unique physical characteristic do male giraffes develop as they age?
    Answer: Their ossicones become bald on top due to frequent use in necking
49. What is the main challenge baby giraffes face immediately after birth?
    Answer: Standing and walking within a short time to avoid predators
50. How have giraffes adapted their reproductive strategies to ensure the survival of their species?
    Answer: They have long gestation periods and give birth to relatively mature and large calves capable of standing and running shortly after birth

What fascinating giraffe facts did you learn that you didn’t know? How many of the giraffe trivia questions did you answer correctly? Keep exploring the world around you, and who knows what amazing facts you’ll uncover next.