GIRAFFE

The giraffe is found in a wide range of places, extending from Chad to South Africa. They are the tallest of all the land-living animal species, with the males as tall as 16-18  feet and weighing up to 3,000 pounds. Females are slightly shorter and weigh less than the males.

Both male and female giraffes have horns, and have spots covering their entire bodies except their underbellies. Interestingly, each giraffe has its own unique set of spots. They have long tongues, which are a blue-black color, and are used to reach the leaves from trees. They have 7 vertebrae and their forelegs are about 10% longer than their hind legs. A giraffe's heart can weigh up to 24 pounds and be about 2 feet long. A giraffe can eat 140 pounds of leaves and twigs a day.