Giraffes

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Barbara J. Feldman

Male giraffes (the tallest of all animals) can grow to more than eighteen feet tall, nearly five feet taller than African elephants (the second tallest animal.) With their long legs, long neck, and tawny brown patches, it would be easy to think the giraffe was a Dr. Seuss invention! Unfortunately their numbers in the wild have been greatly reduced by hunting and habitat encroachment. Today, most giraffes live in game preserves, national parks or zoos.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo: Giraffe Cam

5 stars

Between the hours of 9:15 AM and 5 PM (MST), you can watch a herd of twenty-two reticulated giraffes live from the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs, Colorado. You'll find more giraffe goodies on the Giraffe Facts link (look for the giraffe head in the left-hand column.) Highlights are a giraffe birth photo sequence, and interesting tidbits about reticulated giraffes. "They prefer to drink regularly, but can go without water for several days."

Fohn.net: Giraffe Pictures and Facts

3 stars

This giraffe site is a one-page collection of quotes, photos, and data collected from other sites. I like it because it has giraffe photos in two popular sizes (1024 x 768 and 800 x 600) that can be used as desktop wallpaper, and it provides links to other giraffe sources. For example, the photos are from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Click to visit, and use the site search to find more royalty-free giraffe photos for school reports or your website.

PBS: Nature: Tall Blondes

4 stars

For years, scientists believed that giraffes were mute. Recently, however, they discovered that giraffes do speak. They just do so in low-frequency sounds that we can not hear! Learn more about "tall blondes" at this PBS website, companion to the television special narrated by giraffe enthusiast and 20/20 news correspondent Lynn Sherr. Teachers will appreciate the lesson plans for grades four through six. Everyone will find something of value in the Resources section (a list of related websites and books.)

Random Giraffe Facts

3 stars

Yup, it's simply a single random giraffe fact. "Like human fingerprints, each giraffe's coat is unique." And if you want another, you'll need to hit "Tell Me Another." I can't quite put my finger on why I found this site compelling enough to be included in today's picks. Perhaps it's just a reaction to so many sites are that so overdone. "A giraffe's tongue is black."

San Diego Zoo: Animal Bytes: Giraffe

4 stars

"How many bones are there in a giraffe's neck? Just like humans, giraffes have seven neck vertebrae. For giraffes, however, each one can be over ten inches (25.4 centimeters) long!" This single page Animal Byte includes all the vital statistics you need for a school report (classification, height, weight, life span, range and habitat) along with photos, fun facts and a video snippet.