Giraffe - The Facts

How long do giraffe live?

Both male (bulls) and female (cows) giraffe can live to about 25 years (even longer in captivity). But even the world’s tallest animal has enemies. Giraffe mortality rates vary from region to region dependant on density of natural predators. Even adult male giraffes are predated by lions, but sub adults and calves are particularly vulnerable and have also been taken by hyena, leopard, wild dog and crocodile. 

As an example, infant mortality rates in the Serengeti (G.c. tippelskirchi or Masai giraffe) for one month old giraffe calves is over 20% while some 50% of calves die in their first 6 months. This figure has reached nearly 60% by the end of the first year in the Serengeti, dropping to 8% in the second year and just 3% in the third.

Once mature, the defensive kick of an adult giraffe is enough to seriously damage even the most determined predator, and many a lion has succumbed to the fierceness of their soup bowl size hooves.