Schleich Male Giraffe 14749

At up to six metres, male giraffes are the largest land animals. Their necks can measure up to two and a half metres long and weigh up to 250 kilograms. Yet, like us humans, they have only seven cervical vertebrae. Male giraffes are so tall that their heads can peer into the second-story window of a building and say hello. Their tongue measures 50 centimetres, is insensitive to spiny leaves and has an unusual colour - it is dark blue. This colour protects the tongue from the sun's heat as the giraffes wrap it around and pluck the leaves. Even large animals like giraffes have to sleep between meals. When there's no danger, they take a nap. But in the wild they sleep mostly standing up. When two male giraffes fight, they bang their heads on the neck of their opponent.