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Why is a giraffe's neck so long?
A giraffe's neck is long so it can reach leaves on tall trees and be strong in neck fights with other giraffes.
Giraffes live on the open plains of Africa. The tastiest leaves there are often at the very top of tall trees. Giraffes with long necks can reach those leaves easily, so they find more food and grow strong. Over time, long-necked giraffes survived better, and their babies were born with long necks too.
Here is something interesting: a giraffe's neck has exactly seven bones, called vertebrae, just like your neck. The only difference is that a giraffe's neck bones are much bigger and longer.
A long neck is not just for eating. Male giraffes sometimes swing their necks and bang them together to show who is stronger. This is called 'necking'. Males with long, strong necks win these fights.
Quick facts
- Giraffes live in Africa and have the longest necks of any animal in the world.
- A giraffe's neck has exactly seven bones, just like a human neck.
- A long neck lets giraffes reach leaves on tall trees easily.
- Male giraffes sometimes swing their necks and bang them together to show who is stronger.
- A giraffe's tongue is about 45-50 centimetres long.
- A giraffe's heart is very powerful, so it can pump blood up its long neck to its brain.
Check what you remember
3 questions — all of them come from the quick facts above. There is no score and no wrong turn.
1. How many bones does a giraffe's neck have?
2. What do male giraffes do with their necks against other males?
3. What does a giraffe's long neck help it do?
Where this comes from
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1 britannica.com 90/100Giraffe - Britannica
A trusted encyclopedia with facts about a giraffe's neck and life.
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2 kids.nationalgeographic.com 88/100Giraffe Facts - National Geographic Kids
Fun giraffe facts made just for children.
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