Quick answer
Giraffes feed as herbivores, adjusting with season, age, and what is abundant in Savanna, grassland, and open woodland. That label is a preferred pattern, not every item an individual might sample.
Key takeaway
Giraffes feed as herbivores, adjusting with season, age, and what is abundant in Savanna, grassland, and open woodland. That label is a preferred pattern, not every item an individual might sample.
Giraffe diet overview
Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) are best summarised as Herbivore. Anatomy and habitat (Savanna, grassland, and open woodland) decide whether they hunt, graze, filter, scavenge, or mix strategies across the year.
How giraffes find food
Energy-rich foods are prioritised when available; lean seasons force broader diets or longer travel. Young animals may eat different items or receive food from parents.
Giraffe role in the food web
As herbivores shaping plants and seeds, giraffes move nutrients and influence prey or vegetation.
Feeding and human conflict
Never feed wild giraffes. Habituation raises injury risk and can lead to lethal management. Captive diets must match species needs, not generic pet food rules.
Built tall
A giraffe's neck alone can be over 2 m (6 ft) long, yet it contains only seven vertebrae like almost all mammals. To pump blood up to the brain, the giraffe has an oversized heart and the highest blood pressure of any animal, with special vessels in the neck that stop it blacking out when it lowers its head to drink.
Diet and feeding
Giraffes are browsers that feed mainly on the leaves, shoots, and flowers of acacia and other trees, using a long prehensile tongue and tough lips to strip foliage past the thorns. They eat for many hours a day and get most of their water from their food, so they can go long stretches without drinking.
Sources
Giraffe FAQs
What do giraffes eat?
Giraffes feed as herbivores, adjusting with season, age, and what is abundant in Savanna, grassland, and open woodland. That label is a preferred pattern, not every item an individual might sample.
What is the scientific name of the giraffe?
Giraffa camelopardalis — used in research and conservation listings for giraffes.
Where do giraffes live?
They are associated with Savanna, grassland, and open woodland. Local presence depends on food, cover, and human land use.
What is the conservation status of giraffes?
Listed in our guides as Vulnerable. Check the IUCN Red List and national assessments for the latest formal category.