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Discover the Adorable World of Baby Giraffes: Top 7 Fun Facts You Can't Miss!

illustration of baby-giraffes
Get ready to be amazed as we unravel the delightful and fascinating world of baby giraffes with these unexpected fun facts!

1. Bungee Baby Drops

Bungee babies, the daring giraffe edition: newborn giraffes experience their first adrenaline rush within minutes of entering the world, free falling from their mother's womb! This two-meter drop actually serves a vital purpose: it snaps the umbilical cord, tears the amniotic sack, and kick-starts their breathing, all without causing any harm.
Source => monartosafari.com.au

2. Strutting Newborns

Step aside, Bambi: baby giraffes have got you beat in the "learning to walk" department – and they're definitely taller on their first date! From their lofty entrance into the world feet-first, these spindly-legged newborns waste no time in stretching their legs – quite literally: Within an hour of their grand, 5-foot fall to Earth, they're up and strutting like a seasoned runway model. And you can't call them picky eaters; their lofty ambitions are sky-high, as they munch on vegetation within a week and get seriously leafy at just four months old.
Source => pbs.org

3. Zero to Hero Learners

Newborn giraffes are like the fastest learners on four legs, more like "zero to hero" in 10 hours flat, putting those perpetually learning humans to shame: After struggling for a mere 30 minutes post-birth, they can stand up steady, and in a jaw-dropping 10 hours, they're practically marathon runners among their fellow long-necked family members in the wild.
Source => a-z-animals.com

4. Short & Sweet Slumbers

Ever wonder if giraffes were simply too tall for having nightmares? Well, baby giraffes seem to be perfecting this height advantage in the land of slumber: Despite their youth, they only sleep for a total of about 30 minutes to 2 hours per day, with their fellow long-necks keeping a watchful eye on their brief snooze sessions.
Source => safariventures.com

Bad Hair Day Horns

5. Bad Hair Day Horns

Talk about a bad hair day: Baby giraffes are born with their horns, called "ossicones," folded flat against their heads, and it takes a few hours for them to stand up straight. Meanwhile, the males eventually rock the smooth bald look as they mature, while females flaunt thinner ossicones with a sassy tuft of hair on top.
Source => animalfactsencyclopedia.com

6. Pretzel Nap Positions

Prepare for a neck-level nap with style: A baby giraffe slumbers by turning itself into an adorable pretzel, wrapping its noodle-like neck over its body to rest its head on its own tush! Comedy quotient aside, this quirky snooze setup allows the newborns to doze off for just 3-4 hours, while being ready for action within minutes if needed.
Source => bahriatown.com

7. Vertical Overachievers

When baby giraffes enter the world, they've already earned their street cred as vertical overachievers, putting grown humans to shame in the height department: Bursting onto the scene with a six-foot-long neck consisting of seven vertebrae, each up to 10 inches long, these lofty infants have a leg up - or rather, neck up - on spotting danger, despite remaining prey to lurking predators.
Source => clevelandzoosociety.org

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