Three Masai giraffes with jagged brown spot patterns walking across a green grassy savanna, with forested hills in the background under a cloudy sky.

AfricaMammalsVulnerable

Masai Giraffe

Where Masai Giraffes Live

Continent: Africa

Savannas, open woodlands, and grasslands across sub-Saharan Africa, from Chad and Niger south to South Africa.

The giraffe is the tallest living land animal, famous for its enormously long neck and legs, and a highly recognizable patchwork coat unique to each individual. Native to the savannas and open woodlands of Africa, it uses its height to reach foliage unavailable to most other herbivores. Giraffes are surprisingly social, gathering in loose, shifting herds called towers. Once considered Least Concern, the species was reclassified as Vulnerable in 2016 due to sharp population declines from habitat loss and poaching.

The silhouette of Africa map on the white background.

Africa

Quick Facts

HeightUp to 5.5 m (18 ft) for males

WeightMales up to 1,360 kg (3,000 lb), females up to 680 kg (1,500 lb)

LifespanAround 25 years wild

SpeedUp to 60 km/h (37 mph)

DietAcacia leaves and twigs, plus other foliage

Clutch1 calf per birth, gestation about 15 months

Population icon

PopulationRoughly 117,000, varying widely by subspecies

RangeSub-Saharan Africa

Conservation Status

EXExtinct

EWExtinct in the Wild

CRCritically Endangered

ENEndangered

VUVulnerable

NTNear Threatened

LCLeast Concern

NENot Evaluated

How Masai Giraffes Survive in the Wild

A full-body shot of a tall giraffe standing on a grassy clearing scattered with small yellow flowers, angled slightly away from the camera while looking back over its shoulder against a backdrop of dark green pine trees.

1

A Tongue for Thorns

Giraffes have an 18 inch (46 cm) tongue that helps them strip leaves from thorny acacia branches without injury.

A side-angle view of a giraffe standing amidst thick brush and yellow-stemmed acacia trees, highlighting its rich brown lattice-patterned coat against the woodland backdrop.

2

Calves Ready to Run

A newborn calf can stand within an hour of birth and run alongside the herd within a day, a critical defense against predators.

A close-up side-view portrait showing the head and upper neck of a giraffe. The giraffe tilts its head upward and wraps its long, dark purple tongue around the top of a smooth wooden pole set against a pale background.

3

Chewing Bones for Minerals

Giraffes chew bones from carcasses, a behavior called osteophagy, to get calcium and phosphorus their plant diet lacks.

1 / 3

Social Lives of Masai Giraffes

A group of giraffes standing close together in a grassy field, with two rubbing their necks gently while others look outward toward distant blue mountains.

1

Towers of Giraffes

Giraffes live in loose, ever shifting herds called towers, which can range from a handful to dozens of individuals.

Two giraffes standing side by side in a savanna field, wrapping their long necks around each other in a necking behavior, with several zebras visible grazing in the distant background.

2

Necking for Dominance

Males compete for dominance through "necking," swinging their heads and necks like clubs against rivals.

A close-up tender moment showing an adult giraffe leaning its large head down to gently touch its muzzle against the top of a young calf's head, set against a leafy green background.

3

Close Mother and Calf Bonds

Herds are often sex segregated, though mothers and their young form especially close, lasting bonds.

1 / 3

Photo Gallery

A close-up portrait of a young giraffe calf featuring warm, golden sunlight catching the edges of its tufted ossicones and large ears. The background shows the softly blurred pattern of an adult giraffe's body.

A medium shot of two giraffes standing closely together, leaning their heads toward one another until their muzzles touch in an affectionate gesture, set against a softly blurred, grassy hillside background.

A full-body shot of a tall giraffe standing on a grassy clearing scattered with small yellow flowers, angled slightly away from the camera while looking back over its shoulder against a backdrop of dark green pine trees.

A group of giraffes standing close together in a grassy field, with two rubbing their necks gently while others look outward toward distant blue mountains.

A close-up tender moment showing an adult giraffe leaning its large head down to gently touch its muzzle against the top of a young calf's head, set against a leafy green background.

A wide landscape photo showing an adult giraffe walking across a lush green field with a miniature calf trotting alongside it, set against a distant blue hill and cloudy sky.

Two giraffes standing side by side in a savanna field, wrapping their long necks around each other in a necking behavior, with several zebras visible grazing in the distant background.

A side-angle view of a giraffe standing amidst thick brush and yellow-stemmed acacia trees, highlighting its rich brown lattice-patterned coat against the woodland backdrop.

A centered portrait focusing on the long neck and head of a giraffe looking directly forward. The background shows an expansive savanna landscape with scattered trees under a bright sky.

A front-facing shot of a giraffe spreading its long front legs wide apart to lower its height, tilting its head toward the viewer in an open grassy field with rolling hills in the background.

A side-view, full-body photograph of a giraffe walking across an open savanna covered in golden grass. The background features a vast horizon beneath a pale blue sky.

Flashcards