{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "giraffe",
  "name": "Giraffe",
  "scientificName": "Giraffa camelopardalis",
  "category": "Mammal",
  "summary": "The giraffe is the tallest living animal, with adult males reaching up to 5.5 m (18 ft). Native to the savannas of Africa, giraffes use their long necks and 45 cm (18 in) tongues to browse leaves high in acacia trees. Despite the neck's length, a giraffe has just seven neck bones, the same number as humans, and typically lives around 25 years.",
  "conservationStatus": "Vulnerable",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Mammalia",
    "order": "Artiodactyla",
    "family": "Giraffidae",
    "genus": "Giraffa"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 1200,
    "lengthM": 5.5,
    "topSpeedKmh": 60,
    "lifespanYears": 25
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Giraffa camelopardalis"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Herbivore"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Savanna, grassland, and open woodland"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "20–25 years in the wild"
    },
    {
      "label": "Height",
      "value": "4.3–5.5 m (14–18 ft)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "60 km/h (37 mph)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Vulnerable (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Savannas and open woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa, from the Sahel to South Africa.",
    "continents": [
      "Africa"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "Muller, Z. et al. (2018). Giraffa camelopardalis. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.",
      "url": null
    },
    {
      "citation": "Estes, R. D. (1991). The Behavior Guide to African Mammals. University of California Press.",
      "url": null
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Giraffa camelopardalis. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Giraffa_camelopardalis/"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/giraffe/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/giraffe/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}