Buzz
Giraffes are among the most recognized animals in zoos and parks. Despite their fame, they still possess astonishing secrets. These animals can change their colors to black or white and produce strange sounds at night. They even captivated a Chinese emperor during the 1400s.
Their armpits hold amusing surprises, and a mysterious disease creeps up their legs. Although giraffes face the threat of extinction, conservation breeding programs often determine whether they will survive or not.
10. There Are Four Different Species
Up until 2016, giraffes were considered to be a single species. However, for those who carefully examined subtle differences in their ossicones (head 'horns'), coat patterns, and various habitats, there were believed to be nine subspecies. Given that these classifications were made between 1758 and 1911, modern researchers deemed the criteria unreliable, as giraffes had not been studied as thoroughly as other major African mammals.
Unlike lions and elephants, there is still much that remains unclear about giraffes. To uncover the truth, a groundbreaking five-year study became the first to genetically examine all nine subspecies.
The DNA tests revealed that what were thought to be nine subspecies were actually four distinct species—the reticulated giraffe (G. reticulata), Masai giraffe (G. tippelskirchi), northern giraffe (G. camelopardalis), and southern giraffe (G. giraffa). Since these species do not interbreed, properly identifying them is an important step in ensuring the survival of all four.
9. The Regal Giraffes
In the 1400s, Emperor Yongle of China sought to explore the world. He dispatched a fleet of ships on seven expeditions, reaching as far as South Africa and landing at the Cape of Good Hope. Yongle had a passion for collecting exotic animals, and foreign nations gifted him rhinoceroses, peacocks, elephants, and bears.
On the fourth expedition, the Chinese arrived in Bengal and met with envoys from Malindi (Kenya). They presented a giraffe, which was swiftly accommodated aboard one of the Imperial ships. Its size posed no issue, as the ships on this journey were the largest wooden vessels ever built in history.
Even with his vast collection of unusual animals, the giraffe left such a mark on Emperor Yongle that it became the only creature he requested the court artist to depict. The drawing infused a mystical aura, suggesting it was a qilin—a mythical animal akin to the Western unicorn.
A year later, a second giraffe arrived at the royal court. Despite the peculiar story surrounding the animals, there is no record of what happened to the two spotted creatures.
8. They Are Drawn to Carcasses
National Geographic photographer Corinne Kendall visited a reserve in Kenya a few years ago. While exploring the Masai Mara National Reserve, she captured a disturbing scene. Two adult giraffes were engaged with the carcass of a dead wildebeest. Not only did they mouth the remains, but they also occasionally tossed it into the air.
This behavior contradicted the typical image of giraffes as gentle herbivores. Experts reviewed the photographs and found that the actions were not as unusual as they seemed. It was likely a case of osteophagy, where herbivores chew on bones to obtain calcium and phosphorus, which are essential for maintaining healthy skeletons.
To this end, giraffes, like other herbivores, gnaw on bones. Recently, another giraffe was filmed licking the skull of a dead buffalo. One of the experts who analyzed Kendall's photographs also mentioned to National Geographic that he frequently observed giraffes' interest in carcasses during his fieldwork. On average, he encountered giraffes investigating bones about six times a year.
7. Birds Find Shelter in Their Armpits
Snapshot Serengeti was an extensive project carried out over several years in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. It involved camera traps that took photographs automatically whenever an animal moved into range. At one point, a camera captured something that had never been observed before.
Researchers had long known that a brown bird called the yellow-billed oxpecker grooms giraffes and other large African mammals. This tiny bird removes ticks and feeds on the host’s blood, eye discharge, and nasal mucus. However, this behavior was only seen during the day.
One night, a giraffe triggered one of the traps, which took several photos. The images revealed that the giraffe’s armpits were home to groups of sleeping oxpeckers. No one had realized that the birds sometimes chose to spend the night on what essentially served as their food source.
Although it was an unexpected discovery, it wasn’t hard to understand why the oxpeckers did it. Not only did they stay close to their food source, but the giraffe's armpits also provided a warm and secure place for the birds to rest.
6. Males Turn Black
Male giraffes exhibit an interesting phenomenon. As they age, their spots gradually turn black. In 2012, researchers examined 36 males from the Luangwa Valley in Zambia. They knew the exact age of 10 and estimated the ages of the others based on the darkness of their patterns.
The data on these giraffes was collected over 33 years, providing a rich source of information about the color change and the lives of male giraffes. A calf typically weans at two years old and leaves its birthplace between the ages of four and eight.
The darkening process becomes apparent when the bulls reach seven or eight years old. The blackness starts in the middle of the brown patches and gradually spreads to the edges. This transformation takes nearly two years, and by the time they are 9.4 years old, most males have fully developed coal-black spots.
Although the 2012 study was the first to establish a timeline, it could not determine the cause. Since only males undergo this transformation, it could be linked to testosterone levels. Bulls reach maturity around age 10, which coincides with the completion of their transformation.
5. A Mysterious Disease
In 2014, Arthur Muneza had to select an animal to study for his master’s thesis at Michigan State University. Like many others, he considered the usual options—elephants and African predators. However, he chose giraffes when he learned of a strange and little-understood skin condition they were suffering from.
Giraffes are somewhat overlooked in megafauna research. Even the condition, which could be contributing to their declining numbers, was given a casual name—giraffe skin disease (GSD).
However, Muneza was relentless. He dove into past research and spoke with veterinarians, as well as zoo and park staff. He meticulously reviewed old studies to track the symptoms, which included lesions on the neck and legs. These areas often became gray, bloody, and crusted.
Only eight sources mentioned the condition. The surveys he distributed to those working with giraffes received only 63 responses. Zoos reported 14 cases of GSD in their captive populations. Alarmingly, Ruaha National Park in Tanzania reported that 79 percent of its giraffes had the disease.
Muneza continues to work with experts to uncover the causes of GSD, how it spreads, and what can be done to treat it.
4. Marius
In 2014, Copenhagen Zoo in Denmark considered putting down one of its giraffes. Despite Marius being a healthy 18-month-old, thousands signed a petition urging the zoo to save him until an alternative home could be found. The zoo's reasoning was that Marius had no role in their international breeding program, and they could not house the growing male due to the potential for conflicts with other giraffes.
Despite the widespread protests, both local and international, calling for efforts to relocate Marius, Copenhagen Zoo refused to consider this option. On a Sunday morning, a staff member fed Marius his favorite rye bread before shooting him. His body was then dismembered in front of visitors, with the parts being distributed to the zoo's predators and research facilities.
Marius's death sparked outrage, leading to death threats against the zoo's staff and their families. His brief life and public execution revealed a harsh reality that many are unaware of. It is not uncommon for zoos to euthanize healthy animals when their genetics do not meet breeding requirements, when there is insufficient space, or when the animals fail to attract enough visitors.
3. They Are Critically Endangered
The African elephant's struggle is widely recognized. With only about half a million left in the wild, the numbers seem high compared to the rapidly declining giraffe population, which stands at just 90,000. Over the past 15 years, giraffe numbers have plummeted by 40 percent due to habitat loss and poaching. Giraffes are now extinct in seven African nations.
Despite these alarming statistics, giraffes still hold the 'Vulnerable' conservation status, unlike the 'Endangered' African elephant. Nevertheless, there are small pockets of hope for the species.
In 2016, conservationists discovered that oil had been found in Uganda, and prospectors intended to move into Murchison Falls National Park. A vulnerable group of giraffes resided solely on one side of the Nile, the side where the oil was located.
A bold operation sedated 20 giraffes, loaded them onto a ferry, and released them across the Nile. The small herd thrived on the other side, and as researchers monitored them, they captured footage of a previously unknown behavior. At night, the giraffes took turns standing watch for predators while the others slept with their necks folded over their backs, resembling swans.
2. Kenya’s White Giraffes
In 2017, a villager in Garissa County, Kenya, spotted two white giraffes. After informing conservationists about the sighting, the rare pair was quickly located. They were living in the perfect habitat for such uncommon animals—the Ishaqbini Hirola Conservancy.
The giraffes were identified as the vulnerable reticulated giraffe species. They were a mother and her calf. When the mother noticed the rangers, she instinctively hid her baby in the bushes and placed herself between the humans and her calf, who were filming from a few yards away.
The footage not only revealed the unique beauty of the white giraffes but also captured the first-ever images of giraffes with leucism. This genetic condition hinders the normal formation of pigment in skin cells. Unlike albinism, leucism allows for dark pigment to still appear in soft tissues, which explained why the mother and calf had dark eyes and some body coloration.
1. They Hum At Night
Giraffes are generally known for their quiet nature. In fact, their silence piqued the curiosity of scientists. These social animals live in groups, which hints at the possibility of communication beyond the occasional kick or snort.
In 2015, a surprising discovery was made at three zoos across Europe. One hypothesis was that giraffes might communicate on frequencies that humans can’t perceive. To investigate, researchers placed recording devices near the giraffes' enclosures. After reviewing over 1,000 hours of recordings, they confirmed that giraffes do indeed make a sound—they hum.
The sound was a mix between a buzzing swarm of bees and the chanting of monks. It occurred at a very low frequency but was still within the range of human hearing. Zoo staff only detected it when they listened to the recordings afterward.
The exact reason behind this humming remains unclear. Since it only happens at night, it might be a way for giraffes to stay in touch during the dark hours. It could also be a passive sound related to rest, similar to snoring or dreaming.
