Reticulated Giraffe
Giraffa reticulata
Here at the Virginia Safari Park, we have giraffa camelopardalis reticulata, more commonly called reticulated giraffes. Native to northeastern Kenya, eastern Sudan and Eritrea, they are one of nine subspecies of giraffe and are the smallest, although they can still be up to 18 feet tall.
In the Wild
Giraffes primarily live in dry areas, especially where the acacia plant is abundant. Giraffes rarely need to drink, so proximity to a water source doesn’t matter to them. They will roam a radius of about 46 square miles, however.
Tour the Animal’s Habitat
Ascend the giraffe viewing platform in the Village Walk-Thru to look our giraffes right in the eye!
Learn What the Giraffes Eats
Did you know that giraffes eat a vegetarian diet, mostly consisting of leaves and shoots? Giraffes use their stature – they’re the tallest land mammal – to help them reach foliage at the tops of trees. Here at the Virginia Safari Park, our giraffes eat romaine leaves from our visitors hands.
QUICK FACTS
Conservation Status: Vulnerable
Newborn giraffe’s height: 6 feet
Gestation period: 15 months
Daily sleep: 30 minutes
DID YOU KNOW?
Giraffes rarely lie down to sleep but rather doze throughout the day.
Reticulated giraffes are recognizable by their distinct coat pattern of large spots outlined with white lines.
They eat more than 75 pounds of vegetation daily.
There are approximately 8,500 reticulated giraffes left in the wild.
CONSERVATION
Over the past 20 years, the wild giraffe population has dwindled by 40% because of poaching, loss of habitat and human population growth. Virginia Safari Park has an ongoing relationship with the Giraffe Conservation Foundation to help combat these issues.