The giraffe is a huge African hoofed animal belonging to the genus Giraffa. This mammoth ruminant stands at an impressive 563 centimetres tall, making it the tallest living animal on Earth.
The southern giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) is endemic to northern South Africa, southern Botswana, northern Botswana, and southwestern Mozambique.
The South African Giraffe, often called the Cape Giraffe, is a subspecies of giraffe that is native to the region.
Dark, somewhat spherical spots stand out against a tawny background colour. The patches extend down the legs, growing smaller as they go.
Like human fingerprints, a giraffe’s spots are unique to each individual animal. Two ossicones, or horns, protrude from the head of both male and female giraffes. From time to time, male giraffes will resort to using their horns as weapons in territorial disputes.
The median lump of males is poorly formed. Fully grown giraffes stand 4.3–5.7 m (14.1–18.7 ft) tall, with males taller than females.
The average weight is 1,192 kg (2,628 lb.) for an adult male and 828 kg (1,825 lb.) for an adult female. Despite its lengthy head and limbs, its body is relatively short.
They can sprint up to 9.7 kph for shorter distances and maintain a steady 2.7 kph for longer distances.
Despite its long neck, a giraffe cannot reach the ground. It has to spread its front legs wide or kneel to the ground in order to reach water. However, a giraffe needs to drink only once every few days as the plants they eat supply most of their hydration.
Giraffes are unique among mammals in that they spend the vast majority of their lives upright. Within a week of birth, a giraffe calf is able to walk and stand on its own. Many calves are killed in their first few months of life, despite the fact that females try to protect them by standing over them when they are attacked by predators such lions, spotted hyenas, leopards, and African wild dogs.
The average giraffe only needs five to thirty minutes of sleep per day. This is usually accomplished in a series of brief naps lasting no more than a couple of minutes each.
It was formerly believed that giraffes made no noise, but recent research has shown that they actually produce a wide variety of sounds, including bellows, snorts, hisses, and even low-pitched noises that are inaudible to humans.
With their superior vision and height, hunting giraffe can be an exciting experience if the animals are not accustomed to humans or vehicles. The giraffe trophy is a fantastic and unusual addition to your collection.
Due to its status as one of Africa’s largest game species, a giraffe’s head is often mounted as a trophy. A giraffe is an unusual target for most first-time hunters to Africa, but it’s a common catch on return trips.
Due to their massive size, giraffes are often easy to track, making a successful hunt a relatively simple task. When hunting giraffe in South Africa, the typical strategy involves spotting the animals from a vehicle and then following them on foot while using as much cover as possible.
The first part of each hunting day is usually spent driving in search of giraffe. After locating a suitable bull, you will exit the vehicle and pursue the giraffe on foot.
Alternatively, you can hunt for giraffe by climbing to a high vantage point and scanning the region below. This hunt will involve some walking and considerably more glassing as the area is fairly mountainous.
Most giraffe are taken from a blind near waterholes, however stalking may be an option.
Once a trophy bull has been spotted, a stalking strategy will be used to get you within shooting range. With a giraffe’s height advantage, you’ll need to be a good stalker to get near enough for a kill shot.
Bow hunting for giraffe is also possible. A bow with a 70-pound pull, a heavy arrow, and a sharp 2-bladed broadhead are all good options, similar to that used for hunting brown and grizzly bears. Crossbows are also a viable option.
The expert Professional Hunters at Hunt24 have years of expertise hunting giraffe and can lead you on an exciting expedition as you track down one of these magnificent creatures. Our diverse hunting sites allow for successful giraffe hunting throughout the year.
We often hunt giraffes in a safari fashion, using a spot-and-stalk strategy or, if you prefer to use a bow, by using the Still Hunting strategy. All forms of Giraffe Hunting are welcome, whether by rifle or bow.
