A Tower of Giraffes

The giraffe is the tallest mammal in the world, measuring on average 16 feet from toe to head. Their feet and neck average six feet, and their tongue can be 21 inches long. They spend most of their lives standing up and only need to sleep five to 30 minutes in a 24-hour period, often accomplished in quick one- to two-minute naps. Giraffes can run up to 35 miles per hour, and only need to drink every few days, as they get most of their water from plants. The giraffe’s only living relative is the Okapi, a large, short-necked browsing mammal that lives in the rainforests of the northern Democratic Republic of Congo. It has a brown coat with zebra-like stripes on its hindquarters and legs.