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Animal Guide

Masai Giraffe

36 destinations · 19 states

Native Range
Eastern Africa, especially Kenya and Tanzania

The Masai giraffe is impossible to miss, but standing near one reveals details that photographs rarely capture. Its irregular, jagged-edged patches create a unique pattern on every animal, while the long neck allows it to reach leaves high above the heads of many other herbivores. Watch a giraffe feeding and you'll see its dark, flexible tongue curl around branches, stripping leaves with surprising precision. Acacia trees are a favorite, and the giraffe's thick lips and long tongue help it handle thorny vegetation. When it walks, the front and back legs on the same side often move together, giving its stride a distinctive rolling rhythm. Young giraffes stay close to their mothers, while adults may gather loosely around good feeding areas rather than forming tightly organized herds. At a zoo or wildlife destination, look at the ossicones on the head, which are covered in skin and hair and become more prominent with age. Then watch the neck and tongue at work. What looks like a slow, elegant animal is actually a remarkably specialized browser built for reaching food far above the ground.

Masai Giraffe

Where to see Masai Giraffe

36 destinations across 19 states

36 destinations

Brevard Zoo

Melbourne, FL

Cameron Park Zoo

Waco, TX

Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens

Sanford, FL

Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

Cincinnati, OH

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

Cleveland, OH

Columbus Zoo & Aquarium

Powell, OH

Disney's Animal Kingdom

Lake Buena Vista, FL

Ellen Trout Zoo

Lufkin, TX

Essex County Turtle Back Zoo

West Orange, NJ

Franklin Park Zoo

Boston, MA

Fresno Chaffee Zoo

Fresno, CA

Greenville Zoo

Greenville, SC

Hemker Park & Zoo

Freeport, MN

Houston Zoo

Houston, TX

Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium

Kansas City, MO

Lehigh Valley Zoo

Schnecksville, PA

Los Angeles Zoo

Los Angeles, CA

Louisville Zoo

Louisville, KY

Nashville Zoo at Grassmere

Nashville, TN

North Texas Safari Park

Bonham, TX

Oregon Zoo

Portland, OR

Phoenix Zoo

Phoenix, AZ

Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium

Pittsburgh, PA

Potawatomi Zoo

South Bend, IN

Racine Zoo

Racine, WI

Roger Williams Park Zoo

Providence, RI

Sacramento Zoo

Sacramento, CA

San Diego Zoo

San Diego, CA

San Diego Zoo Safari Park

Escondido, CA

Santa Barbara Zoo

Santa Barbara, CA

Seneca Park Zoo

Rochester, NY

The Wilds

Cumberland, OH

Toledo Zoo & Aquarium

Toledo, OH

Virginia Zoo

Norfolk, VA

Wildlife Safari

Winston, OR

ZooTampa at Lowry Park

Tampa, FL

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