🦒 Giraffes!

What you’ll learn

1. The Neck TruthLearn that a giraffe has seven neck bones like other mammals, is the tallest land animal, and uses its neck for eating and fighting.A giraffe's long neck has just seven bones, the same number as your neck, but each bone is enormous. Giraffes are the tallest land animals, up to five and a half meters. Males use their necks to wrestle in contests called necking. Every giraffe's spot pattern is unique, like a fingerprint.
2. The Uphill HeartUnderstand that giraffes have a huge, powerful heart and special blood vessels to move blood up their long necks safely.A giraffe's heart is about the length of your arm and weighs around 11 kilograms to pump blood up the long neck. Its blood pressure is about twice a human's, but its body is built to handle it. Special stretchy vessels and valves keep the giraffe from fainting when it lowers and raises its head to drink.
3. Purple Tongues And Thorny LunchesLearn about the giraffe's long purple tongue and how it eats thorny acacia leaves despite the tree's defenses.A giraffe's tongue is about 45 centimeters long and dark purple, possibly to protect it from the sun. Tough tongues and thick saliva let giraffes eat thorny acacia leaves safely. Some acacia trees fight back by making leaves bitter and warning nearby trees, but clever giraffes outsmart them by moving between many trees.
4. Babies, Kinds, and SecretsLearn how baby giraffes are born and survive, that there are four giraffe species, the secret humming discovery, and why giraffes need protection.Mother giraffes give birth standing up, so calves drop about two meters and can walk within an hour, and mothers group calves into nursery herds for safety. Studying genes, scientists now recognize four giraffe species. Long thought silent, giraffes were discovered to hum softly at night. Giraffes are gentle giants losing their homes, so researchers and parks work to protect them, and kids can help by caring.

Questions this course answers

Grounded in trusted sources

• San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
• Giraffe Conservation Foundation
• Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute
• National Geographic

Every Wunder lesson is built from real, reputable sources — never invented.

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