Giraffe Ridge
Interpretive
Guide
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Giraffe Ridge Interpretive Guide
Contents
Exhibit Summary
Interpretation
Conversation Starters
Species Featured
Spotting Giraffes
Giraffe Natural History
Green Roof
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Giraffe Ridge
The 27,000 square-foot Giraffe Ridge exhibit, complete with an elevated viewing
platform, provides an amazing interactive experience, bringing guests eye-to-eye with a
herd of giraffes. A giraffe can eat up to 75 pounds of food each day and that’s good news
for Zoo visitors, who will be able to help feed RyKrisp them crackers for a nominal fee.
The theme of the exhibit is that giraffes are built for the high life. Giraffes are browsers,
feeding on leaves, shoots, and fruits of tall trees and shrubs. Giraffes have several unique
physical adaptations that help them reach their food. A giraffe’s height also helps it spot
predators from far away.
Giraffe Ridge also features two key green components that are critical to the Cincinnati
Zoo Go Green program. The first component is the elevated viewing deck, which is made
entirely of composite wood (made of recycled plastic and wood wastes). The second
feature is the 2,500 square-foot green roof that will help insulate the giraffe barn and will
reduce the rate and volume of rain water going into the city’s sewer. Displaying more
than 40 plant species, this is the only visible green roof in Cincinnati.
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Interpretation
While you are selling crackers and supervising the feeding, you are also tasked with
interpreting the giraffes. Interpretation is not just about giving out information about the
giraffes, though learning is one of the goals. It’s also about making connections, and
helping people to appreciate the giraffes. Here are some tips.
Interpretive Tips
1. Be outgoing. Welcome visitors as they enter and let them know you’re there if
they have any questions.
2. Think about presentation style. Be friendly. Smile. Make eye contact. Look
neat and professional.
3. Know your stuff. Learn all you can about the giraffes on exhibit so you can be
the best interpreter possible.
4. Don’t guess. If you don’t know the answer to a question, say you don’t know.
Suggest where they might go to find the answer. After your shift, find out the
answer so you’ll know it for next time.
5. Get on their level. When talking to kids, bend down so that you’re on their same
eye level. This allows you to make a better connection.
6. Make it meaningful. Relate the information to
something the visitor is familiar with to enhance
their understanding. For example, ask the kids how
being taller than someone else can be helpful. Can
they reach the cookie jar that their little sister or
brother can’t? Giraffes are lucky. Being the tallest
animal around, they can eat the leaves at the top of
the tree that other animals can’t reach.
7. Theme it. The main message of the exhibit should
be that giraffes are built for the high life. Try to get
that theme, or main idea, across during your
interactions.
8. Make it fun. This should be easy since they’re feeding the giraffes by hand.
When the giraffes aren’t cooperating though, you will have to liven things up.
Ask and answer questions. Demonstrate how a giraffe walks. Tell personal
anecdotes about the individual giraffes. Be creative!
9. Have a conversation. Don’t give a lecture or just rattle off a list of facts. Engage
your audience in a conversation. Ask them questions, and respond to their
questions.
10. Thank them. When visitors leave, thank them for coming. Wish them a good rest
of the day and perhaps suggest what else they should be sure to check out while
they’re at the Zoo.
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Maasai Giraffe
Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi
The Maasai Giraffe, also known as the Kilimanjaro Giraffe, is the largest subspecies of
giraffe. Maasai giraffe have jagged spots on their bodies. Originally, the Maasai giraffe
lived throughout Africa but currently, due to loss of habitat and deforestation, the giraffe
only live in Kenya and Tanzania.
Range: Southern Kenya and Tanzania
Fact File:
Height: 13 to 17 ft
Weight: 1,210 to 4,250 lbs
Lifespan: 25 yrs in wild
Habitat: Savanna and woodland
Diet: Leaves, shoots, and fruits
Status: Species at Risk (IUCN—Lower risk)
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Spotting Giraffes
The brown splotches of a giraffe help it blend in with the dappled light and shadows of
the savanna woodland. Every giraffe has its own unique pattern of spots, just as humans
have unique fingerprints. Scientists who study giraffes identify individuals based on their
coat patterns. Can you do the same with our giraffes?
Name: Kimbaumbau
Sex: Male
Birthdate: July 24, 2007
Born: Roger Williams Park Zoo; Providence, Rhode Island
Name: Tessa
Sex: Female
Birthdate: August 8, 2006
Born: Houston Zoo; Houston, Texas
Name: Akilah
Sex: Female
Birthdate: December 25, 2006
Born: Toledo Zoo; Toledo, Ohio
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Giraffe Natural History
The giraffe is an even-toed mammal. It is related to deer and
cattle, but is placed in a separate family, Giraffidae, which
includes just the giraffe and okapi. There are nine subspecies of
giraffe, including the Maasai giraffe. Each one can be
identified by where it lives and its coat pattern. The Maasai
giraffe’s splotches look like oak leaves.
Hungry?
Giraffes spend most of the day eating. Their favorite leaves come from the acacia tree.
The long thorns of the acacia tree prevent most animals from eating its leaves, but not the
giraffe. It uses its long tongue to reach around the thorns. After feeding on one tree for a
few minutes, the tree begins to produce a bad-tasting toxin that forces the giraffe to eat
just a few leaves before moving on to another tree.
The giraffe is a ruminant, having four chambers to its stomach to digest its food. Leaves
that have been swallowed and mixed with saliva, called cud, travel back up the throat to
be chewed again. This facilitates the break down and digestion of the leaves.
At the Zoo, the giraffes are fed commercially-made herbivore pellets and alfalfa. They
also get some produce such as apples and carrots as treats. And, of course, they eat
RyKrisp crackers.
Thirsty?
Giraffes get most of their water from the leaves they eat. When they do need a drink, they
have to splay out their legs and bend their necks down. This posture makes them very
vulnerable to predators such as lions and crocodiles. Giraffes often visit waterholes in
groups so they can take turns watching for predators.
Built for the High Life
Standing Tall Giraffes are the tallest living animals, growing up to 17 feet tall. How
much taller is that than you?
Mine, All Mine Being so tall allows the giraffe to feed on
plants that are out of reach for rhinos, antelope, and other
browsers.
How Many Neck Bones? The giraffe’s six foot long neck
contains just seven bones, the same number as other
mammals, including you.
Heads Up A giraffe is able to fully tip up its head in line
with its neck to extend its reach. How far can you tip up
your head?
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Who Needs a Fork? A foot-and-a-half long tongue can nimbly strip leaves and fruits from
a branch. How long is your tongue?
Dealing with Thorns Thick saliva protects the giraffe’s tongue from the thorns of its
favorite food source, the acacia tree.
Eating and Eating…Giraffes spend much of the day feeding and can eat up to 75 pounds
a day.
Heavy Heart Weighing up to 25 pounds, a large heart is necessary to pump enough blood
to the brain. An average human’s heart weighs less than one pound.
Long Legs A giraffe’s legs alone are about six feet tall. That’s as
tall as a grown man!
An Excellent View A giraffe can spot predators such as lions
from more than half a mile away.
Escaping Predators
The giraffe’s tall neck and excellent vision enable it to spot
predators, such as lions, from far away. If a predator comes
closer, the giraffe flees at speeds up to 30 miles per hour. If a
predator gets too close, the giraffe will defend itself with a hefty
kick.
High Society
Giraffes loosely socialize with one another in herds ranging from just a few individuals
up to about 40 giraffes. The giraffes join and separate as they please, so the herd is
always changing. There is no leader, but the males do spar, or neck, by hitting each other
with their heads and necks to establish breeding rights. The strongest bonds within the
herd are between a mother and a calf.
Growing Up Giraffe
After a 14 month gestation, an adult female gives birth to a single youngster, or calf,
while standing up. The calf drops the five or six feet to the ground—what a welcome to
the world! At birth, the calf is already six feet tall and up to 150 pounds. The calf can
stand up within 20 minutes and walk within an hour. Mothers take turns watching over a
nursery of calves while the others go out to forage. The calf begins eating leaves at about
two months old.
Complex Connections
When giraffe browse on the whistling-thorn tree, biting and stinging ants may attack. The
ants protect the plant and get nectar and a home inside the base of swollen thorns.
Remove the giraffes, and it should benefit the tree, right? The opposite is true. The tree
stops producing nectar and swollen thorns, and the ants move out. Without having to face
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the bodyguard ants, long-horned beetles bore holes in the tree’s trunk, stunting its growth
and accelerating its death.
Thus, giraffes are important to the ecosystem and if they disappear, it can have a ripple
effect across the whole ecosystem.
Conservation
While giraffe populations have decreased over the past century, they are not considered
endangered. The World Conservation Union (IUCN) lists them as
Lower Risk, and fairly stable populations exist. Giraffes are hunted for
their hair, hides, and meat.
The Zoo partners with the African Conservation Centre
(www.conservationafrica.org) in Kenya. The Centre’s primary aim is to
bring together the people and skills needed to build East Africa’s
capacity to conserve wildlife, including the giraffe.
Random Fun Facts
• Taking 5 to 10 minutes naps throughout the day, giraffes sleep less than two hours
total a day, and can sleep while standing up.
• Giraffes walk, or pace, by swinging forward both legs on the same side at the
same time.
• The giraffe’s tail can be as long as eight feet.
• Both male and female giraffes have horns, but the males’ tend to be bigger.
• Giraffes communicate through infrasonic sound, in addition to a variety of moans,
whistles, and grunts.
Resources
Tall Blondes, Lynn Sherr, 1997
The Giraffe: Its Biology, Behavior, and Ecology, Anne Innis Dagg and J. Bristol Foster,
1982
San Diego Zoo, www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-giraffe.html
African Wildlife Foundation, www.awf.org/content/wildlife/detail/giraffe
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Growing a Green Roof
What is a Green Roof?
A green roof is one that is topped with vegetation.
Reasons for a Green Roof
There are many reasons to have a green roof, including:
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Reducing Runoff Retaining up to 75% of rainwater, a green roof reduces the
amount of water that picks up pollutants as it flows across the land and into
natural bodies of water, known as stormwater runoff.
Flood Control Another benefit of retaining water is the prevention or reduction of
the impact of flooding.
Cleaner Water A green roof filters pollutants from the water, which is returned to
the atmosphere through transpiration and condensation.
Cooling Off the City Traditional roofs absorb the sun’s energy and re-emit it as
heat, making the city up to 7ºF hotter than rural areas. Green roofs reduce this
urban heat island effect by retaining the heat.
Cutting Down on Heating and Cooling A green roof insulates the building during
winter and keeps it cool during the summer, reducing heating and cooling loads
by about 25%.
Keeping it Quiet Acting as a sound insulator, a green roof reduces the amount of
outside noise that is heard inside the building.
Cleaner Air A green roof takes carbon dioxide out of the air and releases oxygen.
Longer Lifespan A green roof protects the underlying structure from UV
radiation, heat, and puncture damage, increasing its life span by two or three
times.
Easy to Care For Just the occasional weeding and watering is all it takes to
maintain a green roof.
A Place for Wildlife Many birds and insects will take advantage of the habitat
provided by a green roof.
It’s Pretty A roof covered with plants is much more visually appealing than a
traditional roof.
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Components of a Green Roof
1) Roof deck, insulation, and waterproofing
Made from concrete, wood, or metal, the roof deck provides the foundation of the
green roof, which is then topped with insulation and waterproofing layers.
2) Protection and storage layer
A protection and storage layer, often made of PVC, prevent roots from infiltrating
and compromising the roof’s foundation.
3) Drainage layer
A layer of gravel or stones drains the excess water the plants did not take up to
prevent root rot and plant death.
4) Filter layer
A semi-permeable filter cloth separates the growing media from the drainage
layer to avoid clogging and prevent the media from washing down the drain.
5) Growing media
The plants grow in a layer of mostly inorganic material such as sand or pebbles,
mixed with a small amount of organic compost.
6) Vegetation
The best plants for a green roof are hardy, low-growing, shallow-rooted,
perennial, and rely less on nutrients than typical garden plants.
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What Does the Zoo Do?
The Zoo’s new Giraffe Ridge building has a 2,400 square foot green roof, planted with a
variety of sedum and other plants. It is one of only a few commercial green roofs in the
city. By reducing the rate and volume of storm water that enters the sewer system, the
green roof helps alleviate the city’s sewer overflow problem.
Go Green Challenge
Next time your roof calls for repair or replacement, consider retrofitting it to a green roof.
See www.greenroofs.org for more information.
Green roof supported by a grant from the Hamilton County Soil & Water Conservation
District.
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Conversation Starters
Why are giraffes so tall?
Being so tall allows the giraffe to feed on
plants that are out of reach for rhinos,
antelope, and other browsers. It also allows
the giraffe to spot predators such as lions
from more than half a mile away.
What’s a giraffe’s favorite joke?
A tall story! And speaking of stories, a
giraffe can look inside a second story
window without standing on its tiptoes.
How many neck bones do you think a
giraffe has?
The giraffe’s six foot long neck contains
just seven bones, the same number as other
mammals, including you. Its neck bones
are just bigger and longer than ours.
A human heart weighs about a pound.
How much do you think a giraffe heart
weighs?
Weighing up to 25 pounds, a large heart is
necessary to pump enough blood to the
brain.
Guess how much a giraffe eats in one
day.
Giraffes spend much of the day feeding and
can eat up to 75 pounds a day. Its favorite
food is acacia leaves. Leaves are hard to
digest so the giraffe, like other herbivores,
has to eat a lot of them to get enough
nutrition.
How does a giraffe get away from a lion?
The giraffe’s tall neck and excellent vision
enable it to spot predators, such as lions,
from far away. If a predator comes closer,
the giraffe flees at speeds up to 30 miles
per hour. If a predator gets too close, the
giraffe will defend itself with a hefty kick.
The giraffe has a foot-and-a-half long
tongue. Why do you think the giraffe has
such a long tongue?
A foot-and-a-half long tongue can nimbly
strip leaves and fruits from a branch. Thick
saliva protects the giraffe’s tongue from the
thorns of its favorite food source, the acacia
tree.
Why do giraffes bump necks?
The males spar, or neck, by hitting each
other with their heads and necks to
establish breeding rights.
How tall is a giraffe calf at birth?
At birth, a giraffe calf is already six feet tall
and up to 150 pounds. The calf can stand
up within 20 minutes and walk within an
hour.
Are giraffes endangered?
While giraffe populations have decreased
over the past century, they are not
considered endangered. The World
Conservation Union (IUCN) lists them as
Lower Risk, and fairly stable populations
exist. Giraffes are hunted for their hair,
hides, and meat.
3/2010
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