Giraffes in Tanzania — the silent wonder of the savannah

The most underrated animal in Africa

When you ask people which animal they most want to see on safari, they mention lions, elephants, leopards. Giraffes rarely top the list.

I don't understand that. Because the giraffe is the most bizarre, most elegant, most unlikely animal evolution has ever produced.

The Masai giraffe: Tanzania's own subspecies

Tanzania has the Masai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) — the largest subspecies of all giraffes. They can reach 5.5 to 6 metres tall. An adult male weighs up to 1,200 kg.

You recognise the Masai giraffe by its irregular, jagged patches — more angular than the round patches of the Reticulated giraffe in Kenya. Each individual has a unique pattern, like a fingerprint.

How a giraffe drinks — the most dangerous moment

A giraffe has a problem: its neck is too long to drink normally. To reach the water, it must spread its forelegs wide apart and slowly lower its head.

This takes 20–30 seconds. During that time the giraffe is completely defenceless — it cannot rise quickly if there is danger. Its vision is limited, its balance precarious.

Lions know this. They sometimes wait beside waterholes for precisely this moment.

Giraffes therefore drink as rarely as possible. They get much moisture from the leaves of acacia trees. Some giraffes drink only once a week.

Facts you'll never forget

- A giraffe's tongue is 45–50 cm long and dark purple — protected from the sun - A giraffe sleeps an average of 4.6 minutes per day (not consecutive) - They can run at up to 55 km/h — faster than a horse - A giraffe kick can kill a lion. They are more dangerous than they look - A baby giraffe falls 2 metres at birth — and stands within an hour

Where to see giraffes in Tanzania

**Serengeti** — everywhere. In the open grassland of the Serengeti you see giraffes in the distance, their silhouettes above the acacias. In the Seronera zone they are most present.

**Tarangire** — large concentrations. Tarangire is perhaps the best park to really observe giraffes — it is more open than the Serengeti and the density is high.

**Lake Manyara** — specifically in the forest zone near the entrance. Giraffes in forest are different — you see them up close, sometimes so close you can see their eyes.

**Ngorongoro** — surprisingly few. The crater has only a small giraffe population — the steep walls are difficult for giraffes.

Giraffe behaviour you don't expect

**Necking** — two males swinging their necks against each other in combat. It looks elegant and slow, but the force behind it is enormous. They literally slam their necks against each other's bodies.

**Ossicones** — the small horns on their head. Females have thinner, hairier ossicones; males larger, bald ones. They use them during necking.

**Standing sleep** — giraffes sleep standing, in short sessions of sometimes just a few minutes. Only deep in the night do they sometimes lie down — then they fold their long legs in a way that seems impossible.

My most special moment

I was with a couple of guests in Tarangire, early in the morning. We stood still beside a waterhole. A large bull giraffe walked carefully closer.

He spread his legs. Lowered his head. Drank.

For thirty seconds we witnessed the most vulnerable moment in the life of the tallest animal on earth.

Nobody said anything. Not me, not the guests. We just watched.

That is safari. Not the action. The silence that follows.