Giraffe

africa · tallest animal · mammals

Tallest on land. Giraffes are the tallest living land animals, towering over every other creature that walks the Earth.

Surprising cousin. Their closest living relative is the okapi, an animal with zebra-like stripes on its legs.

Spotty patterns. Each giraffe has its own coat pattern, and scientists use these patterns to tell different kinds apart.

Big plant-eaters. Giraffes are the largest ruminants on Earth, meaning they chew their food and digest it in special stomach chambers.

How many species?. People once thought there was just one giraffe species, but researchers now propose there may be four.