Rothschild's giraffe

Giraffes spend more than 50% of their time feeding. Although they eat about 60 different types of plants, acacia is their favourite. Their size allows them to reach the foliage that other herbivores can't. Their tongue, nearly 50 cm long, skilfully picks leaves from between the sharp thorns of certain trees.

In addition to having access to high plants, giraffes can see over obstacles up to 2 km away. They can lie down on the ground, but their stature prevents them from getting up quickly, making them vulnerable: they prefer to rest upright. Their kick is powerful and can split the skull of a lion.

Giraffes live in disorganized groups of about ten individuals. Because of their height, they often spot predators before the others do, savannah herbivores ( wildebeests, zebras, gazelles) tend to graze nearby. Females give birth to one calf per litter, standing on their feet.

Affected by a 40% decline in numbers over the last 30 years, there are now fewer than 70,000 giraffes all subspecies combined. The Rothschild subspecies is represented by only 2,000 individuals in the wild. Prized in private collections, several kings and emperors owned giraffes, including Julius Caesar.