Give Me a Drink: Nubian Giraffe

The Nubian giraffe is a subspecies of the northern giraffe and is the most endangered subspecies of this mammal. It is found in Uganda and Kenya. Habitat loss has decreased populations, and this subspecies, because of its unique coat, was highly prized by zoos. We hoped to see some in Lake Mburo National Park, where a small population was introduced. 

We left our camp first thing in the morning to meet a park ranger for a walk in the bush. The ranger stood about 5 foot 5 and smiled broadly when we piled out of our Land Rover to greet her. She had an AK47 automatic rifle slung over her shoulder the way I might carry a bag of groceries. Nelson, our guide, seemed unconcerned about our pending hike. She pointed across the savannah, saying we would loop around some trees, maybe going a mile or two depending on how fast we walked. She asked if we all had appropriate shoes and said to stay together. Nelson commented that he would bring up the rear. 

After a brief hesitation, she added that only one lion lived in the park. We’d had hippos in our camp the night before, and I was sure hyenas were probably around. Still, we headed off through the grasslands toward a clump of tall acacias. A bachelor herd of impalas danced by us, butterflies flew from flowers to flowers, and numerous birds flitted through the bushes. It was delightful.

The Giraffe

About half a mile into the savannah, I spotted the head of a giraffe above some acacias in the distance. We all gawked at this wonder, and I suggested we be quiet so we didn’t scare them away, maybe hoping for a glimpse of the entire animal. Our ranger seemed unconcerned. We met a dirt track and started heading along it. I was falling behind as several more giraffes appeared in the distance, and I stopped to photograph them. Then, chatter from my group in front caused me to hurry and catch up.

Around the corner was a small pond, and several giraffes stood in the grass looking at the water. This pool had been our destination all along, and both Nelson and the ranger knew that these mammals should be coming for a drink this morning.

Giraffes must spread their front legs apart to allow their heads to reach the water. Then, there is the challenge of getting water up their neck and into their stomach. They have unique adaptations in their mouths that allow them to pump water into the esophagus, and they must fill that tube full to have some flow into their stomach. When they finish drinking and raise their head, the water in the esophagus flows back out as a rushing stream. Look carefully at the photograph. This individual had just finished drinking and was beginning to stand back up. See the water flowing back out of its mouth.

The Leg Stretch for a Drink

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