Why do giraffes have long necks?
Ooh! Giraffes have long necks to reach yummy leaves high up in the trees.
Pip’s answer
- Ooh! Giraffes have long necks to reach yummy leaves high up in the trees.
- Most other animals can't reach that high, so giraffes get lots of those leaves!
- Scientists think long necks also help boy giraffes win friendly pushing contests.
- Wow-ee, a giraffe's neck is about as long as a grown-up person is tall!
Try it together
Can you stretch up tall like a giraffe, buddy?
For grown-ups
A giraffe's long neck lets it browse leaves high in acacia trees that other grazing animals cannot reach. Male giraffes also swing their necks at each other in contests called necking. Remarkably, a giraffe's neck has seven vertebrae, the same number as ours; each one is just very long.
Ask your child: How many bones do you think are in your neck?
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