Curious Giraffe

The giraffe has a range from Chad to South Africa.

Kenya, South Africa and Tanzania are the best places to go to see them.

Amusingly the giraffe was originally thought to be a cross between a camel and a leopard - a mistake immortalized in the giraffe's scientific name of Giraffa camelopardalis!!

There are nine generally accepted subspecies, differentiated by colour and pattern variations and range:

RETICULATED OR SOMALI GIRAFFE
Appearance: Large, polygonal liver-coloured spots outlined by a network of bright white lines. The blocks may sometimes appear deep red and may also cover the legs.
Range: Northeastern Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia.

ANGOLAN OR SMOKY GIRAFFE
Appearance: Large spots and some notches around the edges, extending down the entire lower leg.
Range: Angola, Zambia.

KORDOFAN GIRAFFE
Appearance: Smaller, more irregular spots that cover the inner legs.
Range: Western and Southwestern Sudan.

MASAI OR KILIMANJIRO GIRAFFE
Appearance: Jagged-edged, vine-leaf shaped spots of dark chocolate on a yellowish background.
Range: Central and southern Kenya and Tanzania.

NUBIAN GIRAFFE
Appearance: Large, four-sided spots of chestnut brown on an off-white background and no spots on inner sides of the legs or below the hocks.
Range: eastern Sudan and northeast Congo.

ROTHSCHILD, UGANDAN OR BARINGO GIRAFFE
Appearance: Deep brown, blotched or rectangular spots with poorly defined cream lines. Hocks may be spotted. Range: Uganda, north-central Kenya.

SOUTH AFRICAN GIRAFFE
Appearance: Rounded or blotched spots, some with star-like extensions on a light tan background, running down to the hooves.
Range: South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

THORNICROFT OR RHODESIAN GIRAFFE
Appearance: Star-shaped or leafy spots extend to the lower leg.
Range: eastern Zambia.

WEST AFRICAN OR NIGERIAN GIRAFFE
Appearance: Numerous pale, yellowish red spots.
Range: Niger and Cameroon.

The reticulated giraffe is the most commonly seen giraffe, both in the wild and in zoos.