Giraffes
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92 free Giraffes trivia questions with answers — nature quiz, new questions added Aug 2026.
81 free giraffes trivia questions with answers. Welcome to the ultimate giraffe trivia quiz! With 50 engaging questions about these magnificent long-necked creatures, you'll discover fascinating facts about their biology, behavior, habitat, and conservation. Whether you're a wildlife enthusiast or just curious about giraffes, this quiz will challenge your knowledge and teach you something new about these iconic African animals.
30 of 92 questions with answers and explanations. Play the quiz
Q 01Why is a giraffe's neck so long?
Each cervical vertebra is greatly elongated
Each neck vertebra is over 28 cm long, and together they make up 52–54 percent of the vertebral column.
Q 02What is the primary food source for giraffes?
Leaves
Giraffes mainly eat leaves, stripping foliage from acacia and other woody plants with their long tongues; they also take shoots, fruits and flowers.
Q 03Instead of front teeth, a giraffe's upper jaw has what?
A hard palate
Like other ruminants, giraffes have no upper front teeth; the lower incisors press foliage against a hard palate (dental pad) to strip it from branches.
Q 04Studies in captivity found that giraffes sleep about how much per day?
Around 4.6 hours
They usually sleep lying down, though older individuals have been seen dozing on their feet.
Q 05Approximately how much can an adult giraffe's heart weigh?
11 kg (25 lbs)
The heart is about 60 cm long, and its wall can be as thick as 7.5 cm.
Q 06On which continent are giraffes primarily found in the wild?
Africa
Wild giraffes live only in Africa; their scattered range runs from Chad in the north to South Africa, and from Niger in the west to Somalia.
Q 07What animal is considered the closest living relative to the giraffe?
Okapi
The okapi, also called the forest giraffe, is the giraffe's only living relative in the family Giraffidae; it has zebra-like striped hindquarters and lives in dense equatorial rainforest.
Q 08The word 'giraffe' comes from which language's word meaning 'fast-walker' or 'elegant'?
Arabic
The name "giraffe" has its earliest known origins in the Arabic word "zarāfah," which translates to "fast-walker" or "elegant."
Q 09What characteristic of a giraffe's coat pattern is often compared to human fingerprints?
Its uniqueness to each individual
Young inherit some spot traits from their mothers, and certain traits correlate with survival.
Q 10How many gaits does a giraffe have?
Two
When walking it moves both legs on one side then the other; when galloping the hind legs swing around the front legs and the tail curls up.
Q 11What term refers to the horn-like, bony structures on a giraffe's head that are covered in skin and fur?
Ossicones
They are ossicones, knobs of ossified cartilage covered in skin and fur; both sexes carry a pair on the parietal bones, and males usually add a median one on the forehead.
Q 12What conservation status did the IUCN Red List give the giraffe in 2016?
Vulnerable
The IUCN assessed the giraffe as Vulnerable in 2016, after wild numbers fell from an estimated 155,000 in 1985 to roughly 97,500.
Q 13Roughly how long is a giraffe's tongue?
About 45 cm (18 in)
A giraffe's prehensile tongue is about 45 cm (18 in) long, letting it strip foliage from thorny acacia branches; it can also tip its head back to reach food directly overhead.
Q 21What is the average weight of an adult male giraffe?
1,200 kg (2,600 lbs)
The average weight for an adult male giraffe is around 1,200 kg (2,600 lbs), though they can weigh up to 1,930 kg (4,300 lbs).
Q 22Where are a giraffe's eyes positioned, giving it a broad visual field from its height?
On the sides of the head
A giraffe's large, bulging eyes sit on the sides of the head, giving good all-round vision from its great height; giraffes may also see in colour.
Q 23What is a baby giraffe called?
Calf
A young giraffe is a calf; calves first ruminate at four to six months and stop nursing at six to eight months.
Q 14Giraffe groups range from one animal up to how many?
66
Recorded giraffe groups range from a single animal up to 66; adult female subpopulations are linked by wandering males into super-communities of around 300 animals.
Q 15How do giraffes typically give birth?
While standing up
The newborn emerges head and front legs first and falls to the ground, which severs the umbilical cord.
Q 16Approximately how many chambers does a giraffe's stomach have?
4
An adult's intestines measure more than 70 m, and it visibly passes cud back up the neck to chew again.
Q 17What is the scientific name for the giraffe?
Giraffa camelopardalis
The giraffe is Giraffa camelopardalis; Linnaeus first described it in 1758 as Cervus camelopardalis, placing it among the deer.
Q 18Which of these is a major predator of adult giraffes in the wild?
Lions
Lions are the main predators of adult giraffes, which are otherwise rarely attacked; leopards, hyenas and wild dogs mostly take calves, and an adult giraffe's kick can kill a lion.
Q 19What is the average gestation period for a giraffe?
15 months
A giraffe's gestation averages about 15 months, roughly 400–460 days; a single calf is the norm and twins are rare.
Q 20Approximately how fast can a giraffe run over short distances?
60 km/h (37 mph)
A giraffe can sprint at up to 60 km/h (37 mph) over short distances and hold about 50 km/h (31 mph) for several kilometres.
Q 24Giraffes have an unusually long lifespan for ruminants, living up to how many years?
38
Giraffes can live up to 38 years, unusually long for a ruminant; an adult female's survival is significantly correlated with how many social associations she has.
Q 25What is the primary purpose of giraffe "necking"?
To fight for dominance or mates
Necking is a form of combat where male giraffes swing their necks and heads to hit opponents, primarily to establish dominance or compete for mates.
Q 26Giraffes belong to which order of mammals?
Artiodactyla
Giraffes belong to the order Artiodactyla, which also includes cattle, deer, camels, pigs and hippos, all of which bear their weight on hoofed toes.
Q 27How does a giraffe mother typically defend her calf from an approaching predator?
Delivering powerful kicks
Delivering powerful kicks while standing over the calf; thanks to their size, eyesight and kicks, adult giraffes are mostly safe, with lions their only major threat.
Q 28Giraffes are native to which type of biomes?
Savannahs and woodlands
They prefer areas dominated by Acacieae, Commiphora, Combretum and Terminalia trees.
Q 29How does a female giraffe call her young?
Bellowing
A mother giraffe calls her calf by bellowing, and the young answer with bleats, moos and mews; adult giraffes are otherwise generally quiet.
Q 30Roughly how tall is a newborn giraffe calf?
1.7–2 m (5.5–6.5 ft)
A newborn giraffe stands about 1.7–2 m (5.5–6.5 ft) tall; most of the neck's elongation happens after birth, perhaps because mothers could not deliver young with adult neck proportions.