How would your heart pump blood to your brain if it was located over three metres above it?!
As the tallest living animal in the world and reaching up to six metres, the Giraffe's immense height has resulted in some extraordinary adaptations.
The giraffe is standing upright with its head towering nearly 6 metres from the ground. Its front and back legs are the same height tapering down to chunky black hooves.
The body is quite short and stocky, particularly in the front, and the thin, metre long tail ends in a tuft of dark hair. The long slender neck is the same length as the legs and has a short dark stubby mane. The head is quite small with a protruding jaw, small ears and eyes, and two short stubby horn-like protuberances on the top of the head. There is also a single small lump in middle of the forehead.
The other arresting feature of the giraffe is its beautiful patterned coat of dark brown irregular blotches with cream coloured hair between. The blotches are the size of a side plate but get smaller towards the head and feet. Like our fingerprints, the pattern on a Giraffe's body is also unique to each animal. The head balanced on the slim, curving neck gives the giraffe a regal air.
To ensure there's sufficient blood flow, it has thickened heart walls, that produce the highest blood pressure of any animal on Earth. It also has long leg ligaments to stop blood pooling in the ankles, and an elastic ligament in the neck which whips the head upright after drinking.
Because it is vulnerable to predators in the wild, the Giraffe has adapted the unique ability to sleep standing up as well as lying down, and only sleeps for very short periods. It also gives birth standing upright.
Despite its long neck, the Giraffe has seven neck bones, the same number as nearly all other mammals, including us!