See the Painful Reason Why Lions Rarely Attack Grown Giraffes

Giraffes are unique, elegant, and graceful creatures but they are not as defenseless as you may think. In this extraordinary clip, you get to see exactly why lions avoid attacking adult giraffes. These herbivores have long legs with a powerful kick. You can see the lions practically bouncing off the giraffe’s hind legs. Ouch!

Watch the Incredible Kick Now

How Do Giraffes Normally Defend Themselves?

Giraffes use their height advantage to keep themselves safe. Adult giraffes stand at around 18 feet tall which allows them to see predators from a distance. They also live in groups and the members of the group stand up for each other. If one giraffe spots a predator it will let the others know.

Also, these animals are surprisingly fast for their size. Giraffes can run at up to 35 mph and are surprisingly agile. They can make sudden turns and twists which even the most skillful predators cannot anticipate. Finally, as we see in this clip, giraffes have a phenomenal kick! At the end of their legs are hard and sharp 12-inch hooves. Also, giraffes can kick in any direction and in many different styles. They can chop-kick their front legs and backward and side kick their hind legs. Their kick is so powerful that it has been known to kill a lion. It’s therefore for no surprise that very few predators would take on an adult giraffe. These lions will probably think twice before doing it again.

What Do Giraffes Normally Eat?

Giraffes are browsers and therefore eat leaves and young shoots from trees. You rarely see them eating grass. The largest part of their diet is made up of two plant species which are Acacia and Combretum. Their favorite, however, is the Acacia which has a high protein, calcium, and water content. They prefer the new and growing shoots when they are available however they will also eat the bark and other parts of the plant.

Giraffes evolved such a long neck so that they can reach heights that other browsers cannot get to. It is only the elephant that can compete with eating the highest shoots. Giraffes also have a long, prehensile tongue that is sticky. This enables them to grab hold of even the hard-to-reach leaves.

Male giraffes are taller than females so they can reach the higher regions of the tree. They chew very little when they first eat the leaves. However, the food is later regurgitated and chewed more thoroughly – the same as in other ruminants. This is called ‘chewing cud’. They just need the lions to leave them in peace whilst they are doing it!

The photo featured at the top of this post is © PicturesWild/Shutterstock.com