The appearance and anatomy of giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) have always been a source of human intrigue, yet relatively little is known about the size of different parts of a giraffe’s body and whether taxons differ in size. Some studies have been conducted to measure the average height of some wild giraffe (sub)species (du Toit and Owen-Smith, 1989), limb length (Christiansen, 2002), and tail length
(Siegfreid, 1990). As genetic and taxonomic studies have shown, there are different (sub)species of giraffe (Seymour 2001; Brown et al., 2007; Hassanin et al., 2007; Fennessy et al., 2013; Bock et al., 2014; Fennessy et al., 2016), and as such anatomical variations in the different giraffe (sub)species. For instance, Rothschild’s giraffe have five ossicones (more than several other giraffe (sub)species) and are reported to be the tallest giraffe (sub)species despite not all having been assessed (Dagg & Foster, 1982; Nowak, 1999). Thus, there is a need to examine the variation within and between the metrics of giraffe characteristics of individual (sub)species. Data derived from such studies will be useful in expanding current hypotheses on giraffe sexual dimorphism and morphology between (sub)species. In addition to
this, these data can be particularly useful in the design of ecological tools such as GPS and camera units, which have become invaluable for understanding, monitoring and conserving giraffe across their range.
