What Do Giraffes Eat?

Giraffes are the tallest land mammals in the world. They are easily identified by their long necks and brown colored spots. The giraffe's name comes from the Arabic word "Zirafah", meaning "the tallest of all." The giraffe's long neck enables it to reach the leafy treetops, search for predators, and scratch its back.

Geography

Giraffes are found in the open woodlands, grasslands and savannahs of Africa. The African savannah is dotted with acacia trees, which are an important source of food in this hot and dry climate. There are nine subspecies of giraffe found in different parts of Africa, and they are identified by the different markings on them.

Types

Giraffes eat a variety of shrubs, leaves, flowers, twigs and even thorns. The acacia tree is the most important food for the giraffe. The leaves contain moisture, which helps to keep the giraffe hydrated during periods when water is unavailable. Because the leaves of this tree are so high, the giraffe's long neck becomes invaluable in helping it obtain food. When the giraffe drinks, it can drink 10 to 12 gallons of water at a time. The giraffe is also a hefty eater--an adult will consume up to 140 pounds of foiliage per day. In order to be able to keep up with this diet, the giraffe will spend 15 to 20 hours per day foraging for food and consuming it. As you might guess, the giraffe needs little sleep--only an average of two hours in a 24-hour period.

Features

The giraffe's body is specially designed to eat its vegetarian diet. The neck is long--6-feet, and it can weigh 600 pounds. The long neck helps the giraffe reach the high leaves of the acacia tree and other high leaves and branches. The neck consists of seven vertebrae--like other mammals--but each vertebra is elongated. Between the vertebrae are flexible joints that enable the giraffe to have efficient flexibility in its neck. The neck can even bend backward. Anchor muscles at the base of the neck help hold the neck upright. Because the giraffe's legs are longer in front than in the back, a giraffe will spread its front legs apart when it bends down to drink.

Function

A giraffe has an interesting way of eating. It will chew its food partially, swallow it and then the giraffe regurgitates the food back into its mouth for further chewing. The giraffe goes through the chewing--swallowing--regurgitating process several times. Instead of having front teeth on the top and bottom of its mouth, the giraffe only has front teeth on the bottom. On the top is a hard pad. The giraffe will grind up the food, using the bottom teeth against the pad (like a knife on a cutting board) before swallowing it.

Benefits

The same features that enable the giraffe to eat its food also provide other benefits. If a giraffe has an itch on its back, all it has to do is bend that long neck backward to scratch the itch with its nose or teeth. With an 18-inch long tongue, the giraffe can use its tongue as a tool for grasping leaves and twigs, and it can also use that long tongue to remove bugs from its face.