Meet our featured animal: the giraffe!

Here are five fun facts about giraffes:

• At an average height of around 5 m (16-18 ft.), the giraffe is the tallest land animal in the world.
• Many people first believed the giraffe was a cross between a leopard and a camel, which is reflected in its scientific name, Giraffa camelopardalis.
• Giraffes have long tongues which help them pull leaves from trees.
• Both male and female giraffes have skin-covered knobs, called ossicones, on the top of their heads. Male ossicones are bald at the top, while female ossicones have tufts of fur.
• When giraffes walk, they move both legs on one side of their body and then both legs on the other side; this is unique to giraffes. However, they run in a similar style to other mammals, swinging their rear legs and front legs in unison.

Learn more at our giraffe facts page!