About the Giraffe
Giraffes are the tallest living land animals, instantly recognizable by their towering legs and long necks, these gentle giants roam the dry savannahs and open woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa. Despite their elongated appearance, their necks contain the same number of vertebrae as a human’s—just seven.
As herbivores, they spend most of their day foraging. Their height and 18-inch purplish-black tongues allow them to reach tender leaves and buds at the tops of thorny acacia trees. Because they get most of their hydration from the plants they eat, they only need to drink water every few days, making them perfectly adapted to arid environments.
Giraffes have a few other incredibly unique traits. Just like human fingerprints, the patchwork pattern on a giraffe’s coat is totally unique to each individual. Furthermore, mothers give birth while standing, meaning a newborn calf experiences a dramatic 6-foot drop to the ground before it even takes its first steps.
Description of the Giraffe
- Coat: They have a pale buff or yellowish coat covered in distinctive reddish-brown, dark, or orange-brown splotches. Similar to human fingerprints, every giraffe has a completely unique pattern. Males tend to grow darker in color as they age.
- Legs and Neck: Their legs can be up to 6 feet long, and so can their necks.
- Ossicones: Both sexes have short, skin-covered horns called ossicones on their heads. Female ossicones are slender with hair tufts, while male ossicones are thicker and usually bald on top from fighting.
Giraffe Species and Subspecies
There are 4 Giraffe species and many subspecies. The species are:
- Masai Giraffe
- Northern Giraffe
- Reticulated Giraffe
- Southern Giraffe
Suitable Weapons
Use a .30 caliber or larger cartridge to hunt the giraffe. It’s best to take a head-on shot and aim for the indented “V” above the legs at the base of the neck.
Hunting Area
South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia are the only African countries where you can legally hunt the giraffe.
A few high-fence hunting preserves in Texas offer giraffe hunts.
