Giraffe

The Giraffe is considered the tallest animal in the world. It is characterized by its very elongated neck and long limbs. The neck can measure 2 m and has a short and thick mane.
The coat is light, with a characteristic pattern of large, irregular orange or brown spots. The pattern is unique to each individual, like a fingerprint.

Giraffes are social animals, and herds are composed of 2 to 8 individuals. They are most active during the first and last hours of the day, where they move, feed and ruminate. They have a light and short sleep, standing up. They just lie down for deeper sleep, but it only lasts for 5 minutes. Giraffes feed on the leaves and buds of trees and shrubs. They are highly selective due to their forage technique, in which they take the leaves from the terminal shoots of the trees with their long (45-50 cm), bluish, prehensile, and extremely powerful tongue.

The IUCN Group of Experts SSC Giraffe and Okapi (GOSG) currently recognizes a single species, Giraffa camelopardalis, and nine subspecies. The Giraffe population suffered a 40% decline between 1985 and 2015 due to low reproduction rates and high adult mortality (hunting and poaching), the use of land for agricultural use, civil unrest, and climate change.
The Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) focuses exclusively on the conservation and management of Giraffes across Africa, impacting more than 171,000 km2 of habitat. The African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) works to revive acacia trees (main Giraffes main food) in West Africa and educate local communities on the conservation of Giraffes.