Giraffes usually inhabit the woodlands and savannahs. Their food source is leaves, fruits and flowers of woody plant, acacia species, which they pick from the top of the trees by the use o their tongue of about 42cm.

Males establish social hierarchies through necking, where the neck is used as a weapon. Dominant males gain mating access to females, which bear responsibility for raising young ones.

Types of Giraffes

Kordofan Giraffe

The Nubian Giraffe subspecies has smaller spot patterns. The spots are found below the hocks and inside of the legs.

There are over 2,150 Giraffes left in the wild, with over 1500 individuals belonging to the group of Rothschild species. The Rothschild’s Giraffe to those of Nubian subspecies, the Nubian species is common in captivity.

The Rothschild’s Giraffe it ranges in the areas of Uganda and Kenya. Although its presence in south Sudan is uncertain. This Giraffe has large dark patches that usually have complete margins, but with sharp edges.

 The darks spots on this species may have paler radiating lines.spotting doesn’t often reach below the hocks near to the hooves.   The species has five horns on the head. There over 1,500 individuals believed to have remained in the wild and more than 450 are kept in zoos.

The West African Giraffe is endemic to south-western Niger. This animal has a lighter pelage than other subspecies, with red lobe shaped blotches that reach below the hocks.

The erect subspecies and males have well-developed lumps. The Giraffe is the most endangered subspecies, with 400 individuals remaining in the wild. Cameroon giraffes are formerly believed to belong to this species of giraffe.

The West African Giraffe is more coldly related to Rothschild’s giraffe than the Kordonfan and the ancestor may have migrated from Eastern to Northern Africa and they currently range within the development of Sahara Desert they inhabit near Lake Chad a barrier between West African and Kordofan giraffes during the Holocene.

The Reticulated Giraffe is a native to North-eastern Kenya, southern Ethiopia and Somalia. The zebra has a coat of patterns which are sharp-edged, reddish brown polygonal patches divided by network of thin lines. The spots on the zebras are extended below the hocks and the median lump which is present in males. There are over 8,660 individuals remaining in the wild and about 500 kept in the zoos.

. The spotting pattern extends throughout the legs only the upper part exclusive.

The neck and rump patches tend to be very small. This species has a white ear patch and their over 13,000 giraffes remaining in the wild and about 20 Giraffes in the zoos.

The South African Giraffe/cape

This type of Giraffe is found in northern South Africa, southern Africa, Southern Botswana and south-western Mozambique. It’s very dark, with rounded patches on a tawny background color. The spots on the species extends downwards as it extends smaller. There are over 31,500 giraffes and over 45 Giraffes live in captivity.

The Masai Giraffe

A media lump that usually present in males. There over 32,550 left in the wild and about 100 zoos.

The Thorneycroft’s Giraffes

There is a restriction to the Luangwa valley in Eastern Zambia. The patches are star-shaped and may not extend a cross the legs. The median lump of males underdeveloped with more than 550 remaining in the wild, there no Giraffes in the zoo.

Giraffe’s physical appearance

The fully grown Giraffes stand 18 feet tall; the males are taller than females. The tallest male recorded has a height of 19 feet and females have 17 feet tall. The Average weight is 1,192kgs for an adult male and 828kgs for an adult female with a maximum weight of 1930kg and 1180kgs have been recorded. Despite the long neck and legs, well the body is relatively short .They have bull big eyes that give it all around vision from its great height. Giraffe see in colors, they have a sharp sense of smell and hearing .Giraffes are known for closing the muscular nostrils in order to protect against ants and sandstorms.

Note: In Uganda we have the Rothschild Giraffes.

Rothschild Giraffes are best spotted in Murchison falls National Park, Kidepo Valley Park and Lake Mburo national park. The endangered Rothschild Giraffe is also called Baringo or a Ugandan Giraffe, growing I a big number in their Natural environment, especially in Murchison falls National park.

In Murchison falls there over 1000 Rothschild Giraffes, there are thriving number of Rothschild as well as a total number of less than 50 Giraffes in Lake Mburo.

Drive along in Murchison falls National Park, as go through a large herd of Giraffes up to a total number of 50.

There is no any area in Africa with such a big number of Giraffes, Murchison falls is one of the best Areas where one can spot a number of Rothschild’s in the wild. There are now 1,000 Rothschilds in the park.

Rothschild Giraffes have just returned or transferred in several parks and in Uganda they were re introduced in Ugandans National parks and wildlife reservations, they inhabit the areas of Lake Mburo National park and Lake Kidepo Valley Park in their natural habitat, out of captivity.

Rothschild have five horns on the head of which two are behind each ear, which makes them to be very different from other Giraffes ,the color on their coat gives them a difference  to consist of dark areas. The coat is very unique as that of humans.

They move very slowly through the savannah, the fact is the Giraffes move at a higher speed, inspite of their height and appearance; this makes them to be one of the fastest species of animal, with a speed of 35mph as they run over the opening grounds.

Giraffes lope at about 10mph.with their tongue reaching about 46cm. with an average length of 46cm.

Giraffes are moving animals with huge necks .they graze and have a series of elastic vessels in the neck; the bending allows the blood to pump along the neck to the brain.

Giraffes have an amazing fact, their known for going for on the without drinking any liquid water instead they drink water through leaves such as acacia trees.

It’s one of the most amazing and beautiful encounter as one takes a sight at these amazing gracious animals through the savannah of the park. Visit Murchison falls National Park, Kidepo National park and Lake Mburo national park.

Besides Murchison falls National park there other national parks to spot out these amazing Rothschild’s including Kidepo valley park and Lake Mburo national parks.

Book with Dina Tours for an amazing encounter to sight the Rothschild’s.