Whether it is a coincidence or not, it is fascinating that World Giraffe Day falls on the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere and the winter solstice in the southern hemisphere. Why is this interesting? Well, in essence, these solstices occur on the 21st of June and is the longest day in the northern hemisphere, and the longest night in the southern hemisphere. So, naturally, we should celebrate the longest-necked animals today, too!
A lone giraffe bull happened to come strolling along making for a quintessential African moment.
Giraffes truly are spectacular creatures that are often very highly sought after by many first-time safari-goers. I don’t blame them. No matter how many times one has been on safari and/or how many times one has seen a giraffe, they are a masterpiece of Mother Nature. So intricately designed in so many ways and always a pleasure to look at.
A large male giraffe strolled across an open clearing. Giraffes are extremely graceful animals. Sometimes just sitting and watching them go about their day can be very entertaining.
Without repeating and delving into too many of the finer details about what makes giraffes such alluring creatures, I’ll leave that to a few of these previously written blogs:
- 11 Things You Didn’t Know About Giraffes
- Giraffes: Strange and Wonderful Creatures
- Ten Craziest Facts You Should Know About A Giraffe
I would like to take the time to just highlight the sheer magnificence of these jewels of Africa. Not only are they the tallest land animal on Earth with the longest necks and longest legs, these animals can run up to 60km/h with an 11kg heart pumping blood 2 meters up to their heads at a blood pressure double that of humans and with blood cells only one third the size of ours.
“Gasp!!! And take a breath!”
This requires them to have the thickest skin of any mammal to contain the pressure and ensure it does not pool in the extremities. They also have the largest eyes of any mammal, searching for their next acacia tree to wrap their prehensile blue-black tongue around the leaves. Born at 100kg they can stand within minutes.
OK, enough with the facts about giraffes. The purpose of this blog is to simply take a look and appreciate how amazing giraffes are, so spend some time perusing through this collection of Africa’s intriguing, elegant and beloved giraffe… Happy World Giraffe Day!
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The peaceful attitude and the big eyes with such long eyelashes makes giraffes look irresistible and sweet. The last pictures of a loving mum with her newborn calf pull heart strings. Really charming
Thank you so much, Francesca.
A wonderful blog on these gracious animals. The photos are just great. An African sunset and silhouettes of giraffes against the red/ dark sky are so “typical” . They just belong together.
Thank you so much, Christa. Giraffes are such elegant and gorgeous animals.
Sean they are interesting animals and very gracious as well. I personally love giraffe’s and I am amazed at how they drink water and can run at 60 km/h. The foto’s are stunning and I loved the 2 of the little giraffe.
Giraffes are interesting animals. Such graceful beings.
Sean, thanks for the Giraffe day pictures, beautiful animals.
Thank you so much, William.
What SPECTACULAR pics of these giant creatures! Such beautiful animals and very interesting facts!!
Giraffes are magnificent animals and I am so glad we could put out a bunch of great pics on them.
Excellent post…here’s what we have experienced with giraffe:
upon returning one evening with John, we trying to locate the Southern Cross(still difficult for me), upon which time , he said, “Look up to your left.” There was a magnificent giraffe following along beside us, looking up, looking down, as if to say, ” Why can you not see it? I can touch it, it is JUST there!”
Seeing a new baby giraffe with umbilical chord with mother…amazing.
Sentinels of the bush…they see everything first and alert all to the dangers. Giraffe follow a pride of lion or a leopard with their eyes and turn to follow the movements…awesome to watch all the others pick up on the signal.
LOVE giraffe!! Thanks Sean!!
Thank you so much, Geri. Giraffes are amazing animals.
Thank you Sean! The most interesting animal on the planet! Actually, the very first animal we spotted on our first drive. Watching them bend over to drink is amazing! Thank you!
We love to follow their graceful walking.
That is awesome that giraffes were the very first animal you saw at Londolozi. I do agree that watching them bend over to drink is entertaining.
They look so vulnerable when they drink.
One evening we saw wild dogs feeding on a baby giraffe they had stolen from a leopard. Its mother was standing nearby watching helplessly. When we returned the next morning, she was still there.
I think to observe giraffes is purely magical: their long tongues reaching for the most tender leaves in the tree, navigating slowly to reach the best position to drink from a pan, gazing intently at you whilst ruminating – all the while moving gracefully through the bush, even as they run. Thank you for the spectacular gallery of photos of this beautiful animal.
Giraffes have been a favorite animal of mine since I was so young I thought they were called der-raffs (because giraffe sounded so strange to me – haha!). I never tire of seeing them.
My favorite animals!…..I lecture about them in Historical Geology when we talk about natural selection. Thanks!
Thank you so much, Paul.
Every single one of these photos is superb! Just love them but especially the close up of the female munching the leaves with her furry ossicones and long long luxurious lashes!