Also known as Kilimanjaro Giraffe. Along with their prehensile tongues, giraffes also have prehensile lips that work together with the tongue to assist in stripping leaves from trees and navigating around any thorns. Surely not the tastiest process. Such a long and dextrous prehensile tongue comes in handy for more than just eating leaves. Jun 29, 2013 - The giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) is an African even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest living terrestrial animal and the largest ruminant. Giraffe saliva has antiseptic properties. Asked by: Emma-Louise Halliday, Bedford. Clever! This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 5 years ago | 57 views. If the foliage is not thorny, the giraffe “combs” leaves from the stem by pulling it across the lower canine and incisor teeth. What’s more, the saliva is thick and sticky. How long is a giraffes tongue? your own Pins on Pinterest Clever! Playing next. Their tongues are prehensile, meaning they have the ability to grasp things. The tongue is highly flexible, thick and tough, allowing them to feed on leaves from the thorny acacia tree. Browse more videos. If giraffes do get a thorn inside their mouth, then their tongue has evolved to give them an additional level of protection. They’re over half a meter long 2. The thorns don’t tend to be an issue for them, because their tongues have thickened papillae (the small bumps found on most tongues). For the most part, giraffe herds consist of either related females and their offspring or groups of unrelated adult bachelors. A prehensile tongue – like a monkey’s prehensile tail – refers to the owner’s ability to grasp things with it, and have fine-tuned muscular control over it. If their tongues were any different, giraffes would be hungry, sore, and sunburnt, with ears full of wax. A giraffe can send blood through these small branches into the middle of the patch in order to release heat through this system. So, let’s get into the most interesting facts and commonly asked questions! Now, let come to the point and discuss the colour of the tongue. Posted by Editorial Team | Interests, Safari, Travel, Wildlife | 2. 10. The colour of the tongue is best described as black, blue or purple with a pink base/back. Acacia leaves have also been shown to be an important source of water for giraffes. Giraffe tongues come in a variety of colours, usually landing somewhere on a spectrum between dark blue, dark purple, and black. Body height: 4.50 m – 5.80 m; Weight: 500 – 800 kg; Life span: up to 28 years of age; Running speed: up to max. A giraffe can kick with such great force that they can kill lions. Share. A giraffe’s heart is very large, at least ten kg in weight and around two feet in length. A factor fifty tongue! Hearts: Because of their unusual shape, giraffes have the difficulty of having to get blood to their heads, very far above the ground. Your email address will not be published. Facts about Maasai Giraffes. A giraffe’s tongue is blue back to protect it from sunburn in hot climates. Giraffes spend most of their times standing up even they sleep standing up. Giraffe Tongue. Don’t say a word. Females are slightly shorter than the males. Because of their build, giraffes are at their most vulnerable to predators when drinking, as they have to spread their legs wide and lower their heads all the way to the ground. They look incredibly silly but cute as can be. They also use their lips and tongue to pull at leaves, and then grind them with the teeth at the back of the jaw. Giraffes’ are the most reptiles having their tongue larger. An Ornate Hide: The Giraffe’s Blotches. A giraffe’s tongue is bluish-black. Many scientists have grappled with this very question and concluded that, well, they’re not entirely sure. An average Giraffe consumes 45 kg of leaves per day! Their favourite varieties being acacias and mimosas. The giraffe's tongue is 20 inches long. Giraffe Tongue. Dog Facts. Share Flipboard Email Print Michel & Christine Denis-Huot / Getty Images Animals & Nature. A giraffe has a prehensile tongue that is about 18 to 20 inches long and is well adapted to harvesting leaves from high trees, notably the acacia tree. However, when it comes to raising the young, that is solely in the sphere of female giraffes. A giraffe tongue is purplish or blackish in color, which may or may not be an adaptation for sun protection. Giraffe Tongue. Like human fingerprints, each giraffe’s spot pattern is completely unique, and no two are the same. This is due to the density of dark ‘melanin’ colour pigments in them. Acacia trees are known to have thorns, so the giraffe must use its tongue to sort out the thorns from the leaves. Giraffe Tongue Picture. Giraffes needs to drink once every few days. Adult giraffes measure around 14.1–18.7 feet in height. The giraffe’s height and long tongue give them access to these leaves. So even if they do cut or graze their tongue, it’s unlikely to become infected. 0. And here are a couple of our favourite pictures of giraffe tongues in action! A giraffe tongue is purplish or blackish in color, which may or may not be an adaptation for sun protection. The color of the tongue is best described as black, blue, or purple with a pink base/back. Fun giraffe fact 3. This article delves into one of the species’ most fascinating features; their curious tongues.eval(ez_write_tag([[580,400],'africafreak_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_7',145,'0','0'])); You may well have seen adorable pictures of a giraffe with its tongue out floating around the Internet. There’s still no definitive explanation for this, but the leading theory is that the melanin provides extra UV … Just how tall is a giraffe and how do they drink? If you’ve ever been lucky enough to be licked by a giraffe, you’ll notice that their 50cm-long tongues can appear purple, bluish or almost black in colour. 2. An Ornate Hide: The Giraffe’s Blotches. Also Read : 10 Most Interesting Facts About Owls. Report. Fun Giraffe Facts for Kids. Considering the giraffes appetite it’s no wonder these giants are adapted for feeding. Their tongues help them scoop up leaves from high branches on the tops of trees. The winning male is dominant and has better access to the fertile females for reproduction. Giraffes can run at speeds of up to 56 kilometers per hour over short distances! It’s also a blue-ish/purply color, but that’s not important right now. The giraffe Tongue! Claps! The giraffe’s long tongue has the ability to grasp, meaning giraffes are able to use their tongue to strip an acacia tree of leaves while dodging the many sharp thorns. If the tongue gets cut, this special saliva has antiseptic properties to help it heal quickly without getting infected. Depending on the light, a giraffe tongue colour can look anything from black to grey to purple. From their astonishing height and long necks to their spotted coats and wonderfully strange tongues. Giraffes use their height to good advantage and browse on leaves and buds in treetops that few other animals can reach (acacias are a favorite). Acacia trees are known to have thorns, so the giraffe must use its tongue to sort out the thorns from the leaves. The extraordinary length of their tongue helps them both get extra reach for those super-high acacia leaves, and dexterously wrap their tongues around branches to strip leaves whilst avoiding the thorns. 10. How long is a giraffes tongue? Adult giraffe tongue length is around half a meter long, usually between 45 cm and 55 cm. Along with their protective leathery lips and mouths, giraffes secrete a sticky, thick saliva that coats any thorns that makes it past their lips. Koala Facts. 0 % More # animal-facts # animals # facts # weird-funny; More Stuff . Now that’s one for giraffe facts that’ll get you tongue-tied. Rather, they act as tools to help the animals get the food that they need. Here’s a full guide to the facts. 7-mei-2020 - People know giraffes for their long necks and spotted coats, but not many know about the wonder of giraffe tongues. A standing group of giraffes is called a tower. Characterized by its long legs, long neck, and distinctive spotted pattern, many people once believed the giraffe was a cross between a leopard and a camel. Octopus Facts. With its gripping tongue, the giraffe can grab acacia leaves like a snare. Giraffes were once called "camel-leopards." One part of a giraffe's body that you may not know much about, however, is the tongue. Their tongues are black in color to prevent them from getting sunburnt. Giraffe hierarchies are established by the males through an activity known as “necking” in which two giraffes use their long necks as a weapon during fights, swinging and hitting each other. TheScience. And the last thing you want while trying to eat leaves from a thorny tree is a sunburnt tongue! The first giraffe … The login page will open in a new tab. The shape, size, and even colour of a giraffe’s tongue have evolved over time to perfectly adapt to their favourite food. While these long-necked herbivores remain a firm favourite of the safari, there remains much about the giraffe which is relatively unknown. Male giraffes average 1,192 kg (2,628 lb) whereas females weigh up to 828 kg (1,825 lb). Nevertheless, giraffes love snacking on their acacias and mimosas, despite the spikes. Due to the fact Giraffes tongues are out so frequently, grazing on vegetation, they have evolved a blueish/black colour, ensuring they don’t burn under the African sun! Bob Strauss. The calf drops to the ground, which severs the umbilical cord. Its species name refers to its … Giraffe tongues come in a variety of colours, usually landing somewhere on a spectrum between dark blue, dark purple, and black. At a whopping 50 cm long a giraffe’s tongue follows suit with its other lengthy features. Additionally, male giraffes use their tongues to help them select a suitable mating partner. Giraffes tongues are up to 20 inches long, it is also prehensile meaning it can grasp … Heady heights. Africa is indeed a magnificent continent, and I’m sure you’ll get many opportunities to visit it. Here’s some more interesting info on natures’ tallest animals: When out on safari, keep a lookout for giraffes arranged in groups of calves watched over by one or two mothers. A giraffe’s tongue is a wonderful piece of mother nature’s engineering, and a fascinating thing for many reasons. But with their lack of Q-tips, they’re lucky to be able to keep them clean at all. If you look closely at a protruding giraffe tongue you may notice that only the end 20 cm or so are this dark colour, and the rest of it is actually a more expected pinkish colour. ... Not only do they have long necks and legs, a giraffes tongue is also oversized, often as long as 21 inches -that's about two rulers! Scientists Suggest Giraffes’ Long Necks May Serve Heat-Regulating Purposes. And if you look closely, you’ll likely notice that their tongues are a little strange.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'africafreak_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_9',146,'0','0'])); This article breaks down the reasons why, and explores everything you need to know about them. Grizzly bears. Weird mouths . © 2020 Africa Freak | All Rights Reserved, All you need to know to summit Mount Kenya – The ultimate guide to the top. Kilimanjaro airport: what you need to know, Hanging out with elephants in Pendjari National Park, Clothing and equipment tips for your Kilimanjaro climb, Uganda safari – Planning guide for first-time visitors. Yep, sunburn, of all things. The 20 best malaria-free safari destinations, The 6 greatest animal migrations in Africa. Perhaps the best-known giraffe celebrity in history is Zarafa, the first … Giraffes tongues are up to 20 inches long, it is also prehensile meaning it can grasp things like vegetation! Giraffe’s lanky lickers aren’t just for show. See more ideas about Iphone background wallpaper, Aesthetic iphone wallpaper, Cute wallpapers. . Their high moisture content provides giraffes with much of their daily water requirement, meaning they can reduce the amount they have to drink from lakes, rivers, or watering holes. It may sound like the most unlikely combination of … The most likely explanation for the dark colour of giraffe tongues is that it exists to protect them from sunburn. That half a meter of pure muscle covered in saliva and slobber. The calves fall up to 2 meters to the floor at birth as their introduction to the world. They use their clever tongues to pull leaves from the trees, as well as grab seeds, buds, and grass. The tallest giraffe ever recorded at 19.3 feet. Name: The giraffe’s scientific name, Giraffa camelopardalis, comes from the ancient Greeks’ … Do giraffe drink? Tongue and Tails. This is the method it uses to protect itself from attacks from predators. Tongue: They have a really long tongue – about 20 inches or almost two feet long! Giraffe tongues have melanin, the same pigment that turns your skin dark when you get suntanned, or makes it dark from birth if your ancestry is in Africa. The new born also already has a blue/black tongue. FACTS ON ROTSCHILD’S GIRAFFES. 8. They can clean their ears with their tongue! However, the long tongue of the giraffe helps him to allows it to reach the highest, tastiest leaves while avoiding the sharp thorns. As a result, there’s no need for the giraffe to get the factor 50 suncream out when licking around treetops for food all day long. 1:07. Measuring in at a whopping 45 to 50 centimeters (Tongue). A factor fifty tongue! To drink, giraffe first have to splay their forelegs and/or bend their knees, and only then can they lower their necks to reach the surface of the water. A male giraffe can be up to 19 ft tall and weigh between 2,400 -3,000 pounds. The melanin provides the tongue with much-needed extra UV protection. 12 September 2020 111 views 0. Its chief distinguishing characteristics are its extremely long neck and legs, its horn-like ossicones and its distinctive coat patterns. All you need to know about the giraffe’s fascinating tongue. Enchanttoad. We're all about safari and celebrating wild Africa. The giraffe diet of choice is leaves from the acacia tree, a tall tree that features branches interspersed with leaves and long thorns. A giraffe’s tongue is blue back to protect it from sunburn in hot climates. Giraffes sleep about 1.9 hours per day. After its mother has groomed and cleaned the newborn, the calf will slowly attempt to stand up, but within a few hours it is able to run around. Where the body of the first man was discovered, and a whole plethora of diverse creatures survive. But they do have a strong theory. Tag: giraffe facts tongue. A giraffe can eat up to 100 kg of food a day. Download 134 Giraffe Tongue Stock Illustrations, Vectors & Clipart for FREE or amazingly low rates! On average, they’re between 45 cm and 50 cm in length – that’s up to 5 times longer than the longest human tongues! 0:44. Lifespan. Giraffes are almost constantly eating: approximately 15 hours a day. Giraffes are purpose-built for life in Africa’s savannas, grasslands, and woodlands. M any interesting facts about giraffes aren't commonly known. The tongue's blue-black colour is believed to shield the organ from sun exposure and it is widely accepted that a giraffe's sticky saliva has antiseptic properties to … Sep 10, 2020 - Explore Karlee Reece's board "Giraffe tongue" on Pinterest. Note the two colours of the tongue – pink and black. Thanks for your comment, Bryan. The tongue has a thick tough layer that protects it from being cut by thorns. Fortunately, a giraffe’s tongue has thickened papillae, which helps to protect it from these vicious thorns. The lifespan of a male is 14–16 years. Fact – What color is a giraffe’s tongue? Additionally, thick saliva is also believed to help protect giraffe’s tongue and mouth against the defensive mechanisms of their favourite food. The large dark patches or spots decorating a giraffe’s hide vary from individual to individual and from subspecies to subspecies. The patterns on a giraffe are totally unique. By. Follow. In order to celebrate our Animal of the Month, we bring you 10 amazing facts about the giraffe. Giraffe Tongue Facts A giraffe can clean its own ears with his tongue that can reach lengths of 21 inches (more than 0.5 meters). A female giraffe can be up to 16 ft tall and weigh between 1,600 -2,600 pounds. So why do giraffes specialize in acacia leaves? They come in some weird colours 3. So there you have it. Giraffes Kiss with Too Much Tongue . The insides of the mouth, along with the lips and the tongue, are completely covered with hard, tough, finger-like papillae to protect it from thorns and nasty gashes. The giraffe grasps leaves with its prehensile lips or tongue and pulls them into the mouth. New users enjoy 60% OFF. Let us know in the comments section below! Its species name refers to its camel-like appearance and the patches of color on its fur. Giraffe Facts Some of your most frequently asked questions answered. 1:07. For your information giraffes tongue length is about 53 cm, and the giraffe is able to run about 55 km / h time in attacking the enemy. This allows it to clean its ears with its tongue. Giraffes are basically mute! Science Writer. Their tongues help them scoop up leaves from high branches on the tops of trees. As giraffes take just a few leaves each bite to avoid the many thorns on the branches, they can spend up to 12 hours each day feeding. Discover (and save!) Giraffes are classified by IUCN’s Red List as vulnerable of extinction. Maybe the occasional snort. Zarafa The Giraffe. Cows in particular select high-energy low-fibre items. … So they can happily chomp away to their heart’s content all through the day. Giraffes are the world’s tallest land mammal, standing on average between 4-6 … You’d think the strangeness would end with their tongue, you’d be wrong. Tongue and Tails. A giraffe does it with its tongue. The dark colour of a giraffes tongue is due to a density of melanin colour pigments, and while there’s no scientifically proven reason for this strange tongue colouring, many believe that the melanin provides extra UV protection to prevent sunburn. The muscular gripping tongue of a giraffe is roughly 45 centimeters long and its colour is blue/black. After logging in you can close it and return to this page. They are prodigious eaters, and a large male consumes about 65 kg (145 pounds) of food per day. But not many people know about their exceptionally long tongues. And these questions show that people are rather muddled on the matter. What do you think – any facts about nature’s weirdest tongues surprise you? Like this post. Giraffes cover them in thick, antiseptic saliva The giraffe’s tongue can reach up to 20 inches long. If given the chance – yes! These Zoo Live … Giraffes are the tallest land animals in the world, with long necks of up to 1.8 meters, and have appropriately size tongues to match. Giraffes are weird and wonderful creatures that you can’t help but adore. GiraffeFacts for Kids. Animals Kids Love: Top 10 Giraffe Facts for Kids World’s Tallest Animal. So they’re even useful for making baby giraffes. Find out more about their habitat and other fun giraffe facts. Between 1985 and 2015 the number of giraffes in the world has declined from 155,000 to 97,000. Well, you certainly wouldn’t be the first to ask! Giraffes are the tallest land animals on earth thanks in part to their distinctive necks which alone can reach almost 2 meters in height. Enter your email for your weekly dose of ‘wild Africa’ directly to your inbox. The tongue is blue-grey and up ot 20 inch (50 cm) long. Quite simply, giraffes have virtually no competition for this food source. Here are some fun facts about giraffe’s tongues – click on a fact or scroll for more in-depth info: 1. This tough layer helps to protect their tongues from cuts and scrapes while they graze. 149,507,511 stock photos online. They actually stick … Oct 28, 2013 - This Pin was discovered by patoune. The large dark patches or spots decorating a giraffe’s hide vary from individual to individual and from subspecies to subspecies. 9. That’s about 1400 kilograms. The average length of a giraffe’s prehensile tongue is 5 times the average length of a human tongue. However, the different groups may sometimes come together and gather in larger herds. They are unique because of the giraffe’s diet 5. 3. However, despite their body mass, water is not a necessity as they can absorb sufficient moisture from their food plants. The tongue and inside of the mouth are coated with tough tissue as protection. letuscrack. 6. The average giraffe’s tongue measures from 18 to 20 inches long. Learn how your comment data is processed. Editorial Team at Africa Freak is a group of expert Africa writers and influencers. Thus, giraffes can use their tongues to adeptly remove leaves and shoots from even the thorniest of plants. Giraffes, the tallest land mammals on the planet. Required fields are marked *. A Giraffe's Tongue. This is one of the most important organs in any living creature but it is even more important when it comes to Giraffes. This theory makes sense, given giraffes can feed for 12 hours each day with their tongues sticking out and exposed to the sun. Please log in again. Giraffes obtain most water from their food, though in the dry season they drink at least every three days. Humans rub their eyes with their fingers. For giraffes, having a prehensile tongue allows them to grasp and pull leaves into their mouths, almost like a hand, or an elephant’s trunk. 0 111. eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'africafreak_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_14',180,'0','0']));But perhaps even more curiously, the dark colour doesn’t cover the entire tongue. 0:36. Also Read : 10 Most Interesting Facts About Owls. The giraffe’s tongue is an amazing feat of nature. 7. Giraffes prefer to eat new shoots and leaves, mainly from the thorny acacia tree. So thank goodness they’re as strange as they are. Doing so means reaching to the tippy-tops of the trees to find the lushest leaves, so a long tongue comes in handy to help them stretch. Giraffes needs to drink once every few days. 9. That KISS tongue. Their tongues are high in melanin, a pigment which protects against sun exposure. It’s also a blue-ish/purply color, but that’s not important right now. If you’ve ever been lucky enough to be licked by a giraffe, you’ll notice that their 50cm-long tongues can appear purple, bluish or almost black in colour. Each patch acts as a thermal window to release body heat. Evolution invents curious ways to deal with the problems faced in the natural world. The giraffe’s tongue is typically black, blue or purple and can measure 18–20 inches long. Or hands . Giant Flying Foxes. Giraffe Facts: Habitat, Behavior, Diet Scientific Name: Giraffa camelopardalis. The Acacia tree has very nasty thorns and it is the long tongue of the Giraffe that can reach the top of the tree with its tastiest leaves. Giraffes need to eat around about 30kg of acacia leaves each day. 21-mrt-2020 - People know giraffes for their long necks and spotted coats, but not many know about the wonder of giraffe tongues. This is due to the density of dark ‘melanin’ colour pigments in them. A giraffe’s tongue can be 18-20 inches long and is a dark color. Giraffe Groups. Giraffes spend most of their lives standing up, even giving birth standing up. The tongue is also prehensile, meaning the animal can use its strong, muscular tongue to grasp and manipulate objects. Giraffes spend most of their times standing up even they sleep standing up. Tongue: They have a really long tongue – about 20 inches or almost two feet long! 7. B.S., Cornell University; Bob Strauss is a science … A male giraffe can weigh as much as a pick up truck! So the extra length is also useful for aiding dexterity when finding and picking leaves among the thorns. Likewise, the hide is so thick that it was formerly used to cover shields.