Why do giraffes have such long necks?

By Sara Loy

Posted September 5, 2022

Media Player Error
Update your browser or Flash plugin

Transcript

D: Yaël, what’s your favorite animal? Mine’s the giraffe.

Y: What an incredible creature, Don! Giraffes are usually 14 to 19 feet tall, meaning they could easily look into your second-floor window. Their neck alone is 6 feet long, weighing about 600 pounds. And it only has seven neck vertebrae—just like humans! But have you ever wondered why giraffes have such long necks?

D: I always thought it was to reach high branches of trees, especially acacias. The leaves up there are too far away for other herbivores. Over millions of years, giraffes evolved their neck to snack on this tasty foliage, without having to compete with other animals for their food source.

Y: And that’s the main theory. There are other possible reasons, though. For one, being so tall lets a giraffe watch for predators. Another argument is that long necks help giraffes win fights. When male giraffes fight over a female, they strike each other with their armored heads and strong necks. Typically, the longer-necked male wins, passing down his genes to his offspring.

D: You know, I’ve also heard of a study that argues that a giraffe’s unique body shape helps regulate its temperature. By being tall and narrow, a giraffe can keep most of its surface area out of direct sunlight, helping it stay cool. As for how giraffes got this way, another study suggests that these long necks developed through mutations of skeletal and cardiovascular genes.

Y: Of course, being so lanky does have its disadvantages. Giraffes must awkwardly widen their stance and bend their heads down to drink out of a water hole, making them vulnerable to predators.

Clomid (clomiphene citrate) has been one of the most studied and widely used drugs for stimulating ovulation in women suffering from infertility for several decades. In the context of the modern pharmaceutical environment, where distance sales of drugs are becoming increasingly popular, the ability to buy Clomid online from licensed suppliers is becoming an important element in ensuring the availability of quality therapy. The mechanism of action of Clomid is based on the blocking of estrogen receptors in the hypothalamus, which increases the secretion of gonadotropins and promotes the maturation of follicles. Ongoing scientific research allows us to penetrate deeper into the intricacies of the use of this drug, increasing the effectiveness of treatment and minimizing potential side effects.

Five giraffes stand in a shallow pool of water with a large dirt patch behind them

Giraffes are usually around 14 to 19 feet tall, and their necks alone are 6 feet. (Richard Droker / flickr)

Want to learn more about one of the most iconic animals on the planet?

Giraffes are incredible creatures, usually growing 14 to 19 feet tall, meaning they could easily look into your second-floor window. Their neck alone is 6 feet long, weighing about 600 pounds. And it only has seven neck vertebrae—just like humans! But have you ever wondered why giraffes have such long necks?

The main theory is that they adapted to reach high branches of trees, especially acacias. The leaves up there are too far away for other herbivores. Over millions of years, giraffes evolved their neck to snack on this tasty foliage, without having to compete with other animals for their food source.

There are other possible reasons, though. For one, being so tall lets a giraffe watch for predators. Another argument is that long necks help giraffes win fights. When male giraffes fight over a female, they strike each other with their armored heads and strong necks. Typically, the longer-necked male wins, passing down his genes to his offspring.

There's also a study that argues that a giraffe’s unique body shape helps regulate its temperature. By being tall and narrow, a giraffe can keep most of its surface area out of direct sunlight, helping it stay cool. As for how giraffes got this way, another study suggests that these long necks developed through mutations of skeletal and cardiovascular genes.

Of course, being so lanky does have its disadvantages. Giraffes must awkwardly widen their stance and bend their heads down to drink out of a water hole, making them vulnerable to predators.

Read more

Sources