Giraffes: The World’s Tallest…And One Of Its Cutest
The grasslands of Africa are home to the cute spotted cousin of the deer; the giraffe. Baby giraffes, called calves, are born about 6 feet (1.9 meters) tall and grow another 4 feet (1.2 meters) in their first year of life, topping off at a whopping 19 feet (6 meters) tall. When it’s all said and done, the baby giraffe grows up to be the world’s largest mammal! The world’s largest mammal also has one of the world’s largest tongues; a giraffe’s tongue can be up to 21 inches (53 centimeters long) and it’s prehensile which means it can grasp things. Giraffes use their height and grasping tongue to snack on acacia, its favorite type of tree. They get most of the water they need from the leaves they eat and can go weeks without actually drinking anything. As adults, giraffes are also extremely impressive athletes, having the ability to break into a full 35 mph (56 kmph) sprint at a moments notice. Giraffes are also known for long lifespan (they reglarly live to be 25 years old), and for their snowflake-esque quality. You see, because of their spot pattern varying so much, no two giraffes are the same.
