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Masai giraffe (Giraffa tippelskirchi), Ndutu Lake area, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania, East Africa.

Masai or Maasai giraffe (Giraffa tippelskirchi), Ndutu Lake area, Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA), in the southern Serengeti plains ecosystem, in Ngorongoro District, Arusha Region, Tanzania, East Africa. The Maasai giraffe is native to East Africa (Tanzania and central and southern Kenya). Masai giraffes are tallest land animal on Earth and are the national animal of Tanzania. Masai giraffes have the largest body of the four genetically-distinct giraffe species. Masai giraffes are distinguished by their jagged, irregular leaf-like blotches (resembling jigsaw puzzle pieces) from hooves to head. Bulls are generally larger and heavier than cows, weighing close to 1,300 kilograms (2,900 pounds) and growing up to 5.5 meters (18 feet) in height. In the wild, individuals can live to 30 years old, or usually longer in captivity. A giraffe's neck contains seven vertebrae making up one third of its body height. Its long and muscular tongue, which can be up to 50 centimeters (20 inches) in length, is prehensile and allows it to grab leaves from tall trees that are inaccessible to other animals. On top of the head are two bony clubs for fighting, called ossicones, covered by thick skin with dark hair on the tips. Bulls usually have an extra ossicone between the eyes. When galloping, the Masai giraffe reaches speeds of almost 64 kilometers per hour (40 miles per hour). As of 2024, the IUCN considers Masai giraffes as endangered due to poaching and habitat loss.

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2024 Feb AFRICA: TANZANIA, KENYA, VICTORIA FALLS, TANZANIA safari, AFRICA favorites, Highlights 2024
Masai or Maasai giraffe (Giraffa tippelskirchi), Ndutu Lake area, Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA), in the southern Serengeti plains ecosystem, in Ngorongoro District, Arusha Region, Tanzania, East Africa. The Maasai giraffe is native to East Africa (Tanzania and central and southern Kenya). Masai giraffes are tallest land animal on Earth and are the national animal of Tanzania. Masai giraffes have the largest body of the four genetically-distinct giraffe species. Masai giraffes are distinguished by their jagged, irregular leaf-like blotches (resembling jigsaw puzzle pieces) from hooves to head. Bulls are generally larger and heavier than cows, weighing close to 1,300 kilograms (2,900 pounds) and growing up to 5.5 meters (18 feet) in height. In the wild, individuals can live to 30 years old, or usually longer in captivity. A giraffe's neck contains seven vertebrae making up one third of its body height. Its long and muscular tongue, which can be up to 50 centimeters (20 inches) in length, is prehensile and allows it to grab leaves from tall trees that are inaccessible to other animals. On top of the head are two bony clubs for fighting, called ossicones, covered by thick skin with dark hair on the tips. Bulls usually have an extra ossicone between the eyes. When galloping, the Masai giraffe reaches speeds of almost 64 kilometers per hour (40 miles per hour). As of 2024, the IUCN considers Masai giraffes as endangered due to poaching and habitat loss.
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