Why do giraffes have long necks?

How do we know?

↻ One of the pages with a moving picture

Scientists measured giraffes in photos.

1. Long ago, scientists such as Darwin said long necks help giraffes reach leaves high in trees.
2. Later, some scientists said it was about males swinging their necks at each other to win fights.
3. In 2024, a study found females have longer necks for their size than males. That points back to food!
4. Scientists are still testing ideas. A long neck may do more than one job.

Scientists looked at photos of hundreds of giraffes and measured their body parts, comparing neck length to body size. Some of the giraffes were living wild in Masai Mara, Kenya.

That is a clue. If necks were mainly for fighting, males would be the ones with the longer necks. Instead, it was the females. Scientists are still testing ideas, and a long neck may do more than one job.

A giraffe’s neck has seven bones, the same number as yours. Each one is just much longer.

Wow number

7 bones A giraffe’s neck has seven bones, the same number as yours! Each one is just much longer.

Myth or fact?

A giraffe’s tongue is pink, like ours. Myth. It’s blue-black-purple. That may protect it from sunburn.

A giraffe’s heart weighs about as much as a car tire. Fact. It weighs about 24 pounds.

Think about it

What else could a long neck help a giraffe do?

Where in the world?

Masai Mara, Kenya where scientists studied photos of Masai giraffes, including giraffes living wild here — 1.5° S, 35.15° E.

Where these facts come from

Every number on page 56, and who measured it

Has this changed?

Yes, this one may change. Scientists are still testing ideas about long necks, and a long neck may do more than one job.

The 2024 study already changed the story once, by pointing back toward food.

Go further