Fast Facts for Kids
Giraffe Facts for Kids

Giraffe Facts for Kids

  • Common Name: Giraffe
  • Binomial Name: Giraffa camelopardalis
  • Family: Giraffidae
  • Genus: Giraffa
  • Diet: Herbivorous (Plants)
  • Habitat Range: Africa
  • First Appeared: ~1 million years ago

23 Giraffe Facts For Kids

  1. The giraffe is a large, hoofed mammal that is a member of the Giraffidae family.
  2. The giraffe is the only living species in the Giraffa genus, but there are nine recognized subspecies.
  3. The giraffe’s binomial name is Giraffa camelopardalis.
  4. The giraffe was first scientifically described in 1758 by Swedish taxonomist Carl Linnaeus.
  5. A giraffe can be identified by their very long necks, long legs and brown to orange patches.
  6. Giraffes are native to the African continent and found in parts of the sub-Saharan.
  7. Today, there are less than 100,000 giraffes living in the wild in Africa.
  8. The preferred habitat for a giraffe is open woodlands and savannahs.
  9. Giraffes are one of the most recognizable native animals to Africa.
  10. Giraffes are browsing herbivores and using their long necks to feed on the leaves and twigs of trees.
  11. Giraffes are social mammals and live together in groups called a herd.
  12. A herd of giraffe can have as many as 66 individuals.
  13. Giraffes are the largest browsing hoofed animals on the planet.
  14. Giraffes are the tallest living land mammals on the planet.
  15. The average height of an adult giraffe is between 14.1 and 18.7 feet.
  16. The average weight of an adult male giraffe is 2,628 pounds.
  17. The average weight of an adult female giraffe is 1,825 pounds.
  18. The average tail length of an adult giraffe is between 31 and 39 inches.
  19. An adult giraffe can eat up to 75 pounds of food a day.
  20. An adult giraffe can live up to 38 years, but considerably longer if in captivity.
  21. Giraffes are an extremely popular zoo attraction and can be found in zoos all over the world.
  22. Giraffe are classified as a vulnerable species that could face extinct by the IUCN.
  23. The two primary threats to giraffe are habitat loss and being hunted for their bushmeat.

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Giraffe Pictures

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then the below images will be helpful for your research on giraffes. Below are three pictures of various giraffes These pictures should help you better understand what a giraffe looks like.

Male and female giraffe

A picture of a male and female giraffe.

Giraffe eating leaves

A picture of a giraffe eating leaves.

Giraffe in the Plaines

A picture of a giraffe in the plains.

Giraffe Resources

We hope you found the above giraffe facts, information, data, and pictures both fun and educational. You can continue to research giraffes using one of the below additional resources. They were chosen for their credibility and accuracy; you can trust their information when it comes to giraffes. Thank you for choosing Fast Facts for Kids.