The giraffe is the tallest living animal on Earth. Adult males typically range from 4.6 to 6 meters (15 to 20 feet) tall, with females slightly shorter at 4 to 5.2 meters (13 to 17 feet). This towering stature allows them to access food sources unavailable to most other herbivores.
The Giraffe’s Remarkable Stature
Their exceptional height results from specialized biological and anatomical features. Their long legs alone can be around 1.8 meters (6 feet) tall, exceeding the height of an average human. Despite their elongated neck, giraffes possess only seven cervical vertebrae, the same number found in humans and most other mammals. Each of these individual vertebrae can measure up to 25 centimeters (10 inches) in length, contributing significantly to the neck’s overall span of up to 2.4 meters (7.9 feet).
Maintaining blood flow to the brain at such an elevation is a physiological challenge the giraffe’s cardiovascular system has uniquely adapted to meet. Their heart is notably large, weighing about 11 kilograms (25 pounds) and measuring approximately 0.6 meters (2 feet) long. This powerful organ generates a high mean arterial blood pressure, roughly twice that of humans, to ensure adequate cerebral perfusion against gravity. To manage extreme pressure changes when lowering its head, such as for drinking, the giraffe has a complex network of blood vessels in its neck called the “rete mirabile,” which helps regulate blood flow to the brain.
How Height is Measured
Measuring an animal’s height, especially in the wild, requires specific methods. For giraffes, height is measured from the ground to the top of the head or the tips of their ossicones, the horn-like structures on their heads. This differs from many other quadrupeds, which are often measured at the shoulder. The giraffe’s extended neck makes a shoulder measurement less indicative of its overall towering presence.
Accurate height determination can be challenging due to factors like the animal’s movement and habitat. Researchers often use techniques such as photographic analysis, where the distance from the camera to the animal and lens focal length are used to convert pixels into centimeters.
Contenders for Tallest Animal
While the giraffe is the tallest living land animal, other large terrestrial animals also exhibit impressive stature. The African bush elephant, for instance, is the largest land animal by mass, weighing between 4,000 and 7,500 kilograms (8,800 to 16,500 pounds). However, its average height at the shoulder is 3 to 4 meters (10 to 13 feet), making it shorter than a giraffe.
The ostrich, the world’s largest bird, reaches up to 2.7 meters (9 feet) tall. While its long legs contribute to its height and speed, they do not approach the giraffe’s overall vertical dimension. Other animals like the Alaskan moose or dromedary camel are tall, but their shoulder heights of around 2.3 meters (7.5 feet) and 2 meters (6.6 feet) respectively, do not rival the giraffe’s towering form.