The giraffe is the world’s tallest mammal, and its height, combined with its savanna and woodland habitat, dictates a highly specific diet. Classified as a large herbivore, the giraffe is a selective browser, meaning its primary food source comes from trees and shrubs rather than ground-level grasses. This strategy allows them to access foliage largely unavailable to other grazing animals, reducing competition for resources. Their diet relies on the nutritional quality of various plants to sustain their immense body size.
Primary Wild Diet
Giraffes are concentrate selectors, preferring to consume high-quality, easily digestible plant parts like new leaves, buds, shoots, flowers, and fruits over mature, fibrous material. The leaves and shoots of trees in the Vachellia and Senegalia genera (formerly Acacia) form a large portion of their diet across most of their range. These thorny trees are a rich source of protein and moisture, meeting the giraffe’s substantial daily nutritional requirements. Depending on the season and local geography, they also browse on other woody species, including Commiphora and various wild apricot trees. A large male giraffe may consume up to 65 kilograms (145 pounds) of foliage per day.
Specialized Feeding Mechanisms
The giraffe’s physical structure is adapted to manage a diet of high-growing, often thorny, vegetation. Their height gives them a distinct advantage, allowing them to reach foliage up to six meters (20 feet) off the ground, a feeding zone inaccessible to other herbivores. Working with this height is the giraffe’s prehensile tongue, which extends up to 45 centimeters (18 inches) and acts as a grasping tool to wrap around branches. The tongue and the inside of the mouth are covered with a thick, tough layer of tissue and horny papillae, providing protection from the sharp thorns of their preferred Acacia browse. A thick, sticky saliva is also secreted, which helps coat and lubricate accidentally ingested thorns, reducing the risk of internal injury.
Water and Mineral Intake
Giraffes are efficient at conserving water and are well-suited to arid African environments. They obtain the majority of their moisture, known as preformed water, directly from the succulent leaves and foliage they consume. This dietary moisture allows them to go for weeks without needing to drink from a standing water source, a crucial adaptation where waterholes are scarce. When they do drink, they must awkwardly splay their forelegs and bend their necks to reach the surface, a position that leaves them vulnerable to predators. Occasionally, giraffes engage in geophagy (consumption of soil) and osteophagia (chewing of bones) to supplement their diet with necessary minerals and salts, such as phosphorus and calcium, which may be deficient in their regular browse during certain seasons.
Diet in Captivity
The diet of giraffes in managed care settings, such as zoos, is formulated to closely replicate the high-fiber, low-starch nature of their wild browse. Providing the immense quantity of fresh browse consumed by a wild giraffe is often impractical, especially in temperate climates. Captive diets rely on large amounts of long-stemmed hay, such as alfalfa or grass hay, as the primary source of fiber. This forage is supplemented with commercially produced, nutritionally balanced pellets fortified with vitamins and minerals. Fresh browse from approved, non-toxic trees is offered when available, often supplemented with small amounts of fruits or vegetables for enrichment, but dietary management must be precise to avoid high levels of soluble carbohydrates, which can negatively affect their sensitive ruminant digestive system.