The African Giraffe.
The African giraffe, the tallest land mammal, is one of the most characteristic animals of Africa and is a highlight for many visitors on safari.
It may surprise you to hear that giraffes, the open plains animal of Africa, are threatened with extinction. Between 1985 and 2015, the world’s tallest mammal decreased by 36-40%. Some of the nine sub-species declined so dramatically that they are now listed as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The giraffe is the tallest mammal in the world, standing at around 4-5m high, and the tallest giraffes ever recorded have been up to 5.9m. That’s over a meter higher than a double-decker bus. It shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that such a large animal weighs quite a lot as well – up to 1900kg, which is more than most cars.