World Day Happy World Giraffe Day!

To celebrate, we will explore cool giraffe facts and activities including information about the giraffes we have here at the !

Giraffe Facts: • You might think a giraffe’s neck has a lot of bones, but in reality, it has just seven - the same as most other . The giraffe’s neck bones just happen to be much longer!

• The giraffe is the tallest living land . Males can reach a height of 16 to 18 feet while females are somewhat smaller at 14 to 16 feet.

• Giraffes are known for their spotted coats. Different subspecies (types) of giraffes have different patterns of spots. Reticulated giraffes (the kind we have at the Zoo) have large brown spots separated by cream-colored lines. Every giraffe has a unique pattern of spots, much like a human fingerprint.

• Their long neck helps them browse in a place that other can’t reach: the treetops. Trees–including acacia, mimosa and wild apricot–provide giraffes’ favorite foods: leaves, fruits, and seedpods.

• Giraffe moms are pregnant for 15 months, and calves can be 6 feet tall when they are born. Giraffes have long, tough, prehensile (or grasping) tongues that they use to pull leaves off of thorny branches. Can you SPOT the Giraffes?

Did you know you can tell giraffes apart by using their spot patterns? Every giraffe’s spot pattern is unique. Giraffe researchers use spot patterns to identify giraffes in the wild. The spots help researchers learn more about the giraffes in the hopes of saving them.

The next time you visit the Zoo, use this guide to see if you can identify all three of the Zoo’s giraffes using their spot patterns!

Sukari: the Diva Birthday: 11-11-03 Known For: Her name means “Sugar” in Swahili Darkest spots with a whiter head Favorite hobby: Eating Favorite enrichment item: Honeycomb feeder with greens inside Can you SPOT the Giraffes?

Ella: the Brave One Birthday: 7-31-10 Known For: Being observant Darkest face with a distinct, brown forehead – heart shaped-spot on left shoulder Favorite hobby: Moonwalking (walks backward) Favorite enrichment item: Large weeble or street brush to kick around Can you SPOT the Giraffes?

Lily: the Sweet One Birthday: 7-22-11 Known For: Faded spots, with white splotches Favorite hobby: Playing with water Favorite enrichment item: Branches or browse to rub on and eat

Photos by Kim Rothermich Happy World Giraffe Day!

Create your own unique giraffe spot pattern by coloring in the giraffes below! Do you want to be a hero for giraffes?

You can learn more about how you can help save animals, including African animals like the reticulated giraffe, by visiting stlzoo.org/hornofafrica.

Mission: The WildCare Institute is dedicated to creating a sustainable future for wildlife and for people around the world.

Check it out: You can support the Association of and Aquariums’ (AZA) Giraffe SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) Program. aza.org/aza-safe azaungulates.org/giraffesafe

AZA SAFE: Saving Animals From Extinction helps save endangered species by combining the huge amount of expert knowledge in AZA zoos and aquariums with the huge number of visitors to AZA zoos and aquariums.

Did you know? Learning more about endangered species is the first step to saving them!

AZA SAFE also helps raise money for different programs that save endangered species both around the world and at home in AZA zoos and aquariums.

Did you know? Some species—like the , a neighbor of our giraffes—now have a future in the wild because of the efforts of zoos, aquariums and our partners.