Giraffe hunting in Botswana

Giraffes, not only have long legs and a neck, but they have super long eyelashes as well. Their long necks only comprise of 7 cervical vertebrae, the same as a human. Standing approximately 18ft tall, these animals are like walking watch towers and they too have good eyesight. Giraffes may be hunted in Botswana but this is not as easy as one may expect. Named in Zulu as Indlulamithi, meaning taller than the trees, gives a clear indication of why it is so difficult to approach a Giraffe. The males are not only generally darker than the females and have thicker horns. The horns are not only used for self-defence but also serve as lethal weapons during a head-butting fight. Giraffes stand side by side and take sweeping head blows at each other often slamming into the chest, ribs and neck areas. During a serious fight, one of the males may even be killed by the more dominant male. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is drawing attention to the plight of Giraffes which are currently listed as vulnerable.