Free Photo: Giraffes at the Leipzig Zoo, Germany

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Giraffes of various ages stand in their enclosure at the Leipzig Zoo eating leaves.

The tallest animal on the ground, giraffes can reach up to 19 feet in height. Females are slightly shorter than males, topping out at 16 feet, but both genders display brown, patterned coats. The Baringo giraffe’s front legs are longer than the back legs, giving the body as a whole a sloping appearance. Both male and female giraffes display tufted horns on the top of the head, although the males’ skull develops layers of bony growths as it ages.

Baringo giraffes use their extremely long (up to 18 inches), manipulative tongues to gather leaves in the wild. The tongue is flexible enough to pluck preferred acacia leaves while avoiding the acacia tree’s accompanying thorns. Males gather their food from the tops of trees, while females browse at lower levels. This strategy enables them to share habitats without competing directly for food. (source: http://www.lpzoo.org/animals/factsheet.php?contentID=198)

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