giraffe

Portrait of a giraffe

A black and white portrait of a giraffe that was checking us out. Giraffes are quite curious animals. If they see something strange – like a car, but I’ve also seen them do this with lions – they will watch it intently before ambling away.
Photo taken in Dinokeng Game Reserve

Giraffe eating yellow flowers

In this season the bush is green with yellow spots from the flowering acacia shrubs. This big male giraffe was obviously enjoying himself, sucking off the yellow flowers from the branches!

Kissing giraffes

An affectionate moment between two giraffes. Giraffes are mostly seen in groups – if you spot one, you are likely to see more in the surrounding bushes. They do, however, not really form herds. A group of giraffes (aptly called a ‘tower’) can be composed of different individuals every day.

Giraffe in black and white

Giraffes are cautious but curious animals. If you stop to watch them, they are likely to come closer and watch what strange thing is parked in front of them. I once saw a pair of giraffes move slowly towards a pride of lions, seemingly just to check them out…
Photo taken in Pilanesberg National Park

The tongue of a giraffe

Giraffes have wonderfully long tongues to reach the farthest leaves on a tree. Did you known that a giraffe’s tongue can reach 50 cm? This giraffe was licking the salt stone at Pilanesberg Center, and felt the need to stick his tongue out at us!

Fighting giraffes

Giraffes seem such gentle animals, but looks can deceive. Giraffes fight by clobbering each other with their necks. Male giraffes fight for dominance in a certain area, and for the right to mate with the females in that area. A giraffe’s neck is a powerful weapon, and the clashes of neck against neck can sometimes be heard from afar.

This young giraffe in Pilanesberg National Park seems to practice his balance. It must be so hard to have these long legs and the long neck. I know I struggle on a daily basis to get my back and legs aligned, and I’m not nearly as tall!

Giraffes are so tall they are actually quite hard to photograph with a telelens. Glad to have gotten some landscape in there with this one!
Photo taken in Pilanesberg National Park

Portrait of a giraffe

Who says portraits should be of people? This majestic male giraffe obviously has personality!
Photo taken in Pilanesberg National Park, South Africa.