• Question: why do giraffes have long necks?

    Asked by ruheal to Gopal, Hannah, Becky, Vince on 26 Jun 2013. This question was also asked by abbas.
    • Photo: Rebecca Cook

      Rebecca Cook answered on 26 Jun 2013:

      Because they have smelly feet…hehe that was my favourite joke as a child.

      Two possible reason for this, one to reach food higher up than their competitors. Or the second reason is that the long neck may have given giraffes advantage in fights for mates or against other animals

Comments

  • Photo: n3rdy

    n3rdy commented on :

    “An average male giraffe’s neck weighs 200 lbs. and can stretch 6 feet long. Giraffes fight over females by swinging their necks and heads like a medieval ball and chain. The longer and heavier the neck, the more momentum behind the often bone-shattering head slams.” So yeah, it is for competition and reaching food up high trees. This adaption has happened over some time. Also Giraffes are the tallest mammals on Earth, with some males standing 19 feet high. Weighing in at 1,200 to 4,200 lbs., giraffes still manage to run at up to 35 mph. Besides their long necks, giraffes also have long, grasping tongues, which can extend 18 inches to reach tasty inner tree leaves.

  • Photo: Becky

    Becky commented on :

    Did you know that the giraffe neck has the same number of bones as a human neck?