Mammals Dawn & Dusk

Southern Giraffe

Giraffa giraffa

iNaturalist Wikipedia

The Southern Giraffe is the silent sentinel of the African bush, roaming the canopy with a grace that belies its massive scale. Recognizable by its star-shaped spots that reach the hooves, this gentle giant is a masterpiece of evolutionary engineering.

18 Sightings

5 Habitats

Quick Identification

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Size

Height: 4.3–5.7 meters (14–19 ft); Weight: 700–1,500 kg (1,540–3,300 lbs)

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Colors

Tan or cream base with dark brown, star-shaped or jagged patches that extend all the way down to the hooves

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Key Features

Two fur-covered ossicones (horns) on the head
Jagged, irregular patches extending down the legs
Prehensile blue-black tongue up to 18 inches long
Sloping back with a long, dark-tufted tail

When You’ll See Them

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Activity pattern Most active at dawn and dusk

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Peak hours 6-10 AM, 4-7 PM

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Season Year-round

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Diet Strictly herbivorous browsers that prefer acacia leaves, shoots, and seasonal fruits, using their tough tongues to navigate thorns.

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Habitat Savannas, open woodlands, and scrublands across Southern Africa, particularly where acacia and combretum trees are abundant.

Sightings on EverydayEarth

Rosie's Pan

Jun 3, 2026

A small group of Southern Giraffes is seen in the distance, moving slowly through the dense woodland brush. Their long necks are clearly visible above the canopy as they traverse the landscape from right to left.

Rosie's Pan

Jun 2, 2026

A giraffe stands in the foreground, looking directly at the camera while calmly chewing. In the background, a second giraffe is visible browsing on the leaves of a tall shrub. After a few moments, the foreground giraffe turns its head and begins to walk out of the frame as the camera pans to follow its movement.

The Naledi Cat-EYE

Jun 1, 2026

A young African Elephant playfully splashes and tosses water with its trunk in a shallow pool, while adult members of the herd stand closely by. The scene then shifts to a wide perspective of the watering hole, where two Giraffes are visible in the distance grazing near the bush.

The Naledi Cat-EYE

Jun 1, 2026

A giraffe is positioned at a water trough, with its front legs splayed wide to lower its head to the water level. After several seconds of drinking, it smoothly lifts its long neck and stands upright, looking around the woodland environment.

Olifants River

May 31, 2026

A group of four giraffes gathers on the sandy banks of the Olifants River. They move slowly along the water's edge, with one individual bowing its head toward the ground while the others remain upright, observing their surroundings.

Rosie's Pan

May 28, 2026

A giraffe is seen walking through the dense South African brush. It moves gracefully away from the camera, its long neck and distinctive patterned coat clearly visible above the low-lying vegetation.

Behavior

Southern Giraffes are highly social mammals that live in fluid groups known as 'towers.' They utilize a fission-fusion social structure, where the size and composition of the group change throughout the day based on food availability and reproductive status. They are exceptionally quiet animals, often communicating through infrasonic sound waves that are inaudible to humans, though they may snort or grunt if they feel threatened.

These giants spend the majority of their day browsing—up to 18 hours—moving with a unique 'pacing' gait where both legs on one side move forward together. Despite their size, they are surprisingly agile and can reach speeds of 35 mph when pressed. In the wild, they serve as the 'watchtowers' of the savanna, as their height allows them to spot predators from great distances, often alerting other species like zebras and wildebeests to danger.

photo_camera EverydayEarth exclusive

Camera Tips

To successfully capture a Southern Giraffe on a trail camera, you must account for their incredible height. If you mount a camera at the standard waist-high level used for deer or leopards, you will likely only record a series of long, moving legs. For the best head-and-shoulder shots, secure your camera to a sturdy tree at a height of 7 to 9 feet, angling the lens slightly upward. If you are aiming for full-body portraits, place the camera further back—at least 40 feet—from a high-traffic area like a preferred browsing tree or a salt lick.

Water holes are prime locations for camera placement because they force these giants into a vulnerable and photogenic 'tripod' stance. To drink, a giraffe must splay its front legs wide or kneel, bringing its head down to ground level. This is your best opportunity for close-up facial shots. Set your camera to a high-speed multi-shot burst mode; because giraffes move with a slow, sweeping motion, a single frame might capture a blurry neck or miss the head entirely as it passes through the frame.

Lighting is crucial for capturing the intricate patterns of their coat. During the day, the harsh African sun can wash out the tan-and-brown contrast, so try to position your camera facing North or South to avoid direct lens flare. At night, ensure your camera has a powerful long-range Infrared (IR) flash. While giraffes are less active at night, they do move between resting spots, and an IR-capable camera will capture them as haunting, majestic 'white ghosts' against the dark bushveld.

Frequently Asked Questions

Southern Giraffes are primarily crepuscular, meaning they are most active during the cool transitions of dawn and dusk. While they feed throughout the day, they often rest in the shade during the peak heat of the afternoon to chew their cud.

In rural African regions, the best way to attract them is by preserving indigenous high-browse trees like Acacias and providing a large, accessible water source. They are also attracted to mineral blocks or salt licks, provided these are placed in open areas where they feel safe from predators.

They are specialized browsers that eat leaves, vines, and shoots. They are famous for eating Acacia leaves, using their thick, prehensile tongues and specialized saliva to protect against the tree's formidable thorns.

While they are not found in city centers, Southern Giraffes are increasingly common in 'wildlife estates' and suburban conservancies in countries like South Africa and Namibia, where they adapt well to the presence of humans if large trees are available.

The Southern Giraffe has jagged, star-like spots that continue all the way down its legs to the hooves. In contrast, Northern Giraffe species typically have white 'socks'—their markings stop abruptly at the knees or hocks.

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