by: Miriam Congedo

The tallest mammal on the planet and the animal that most characterizes Africa—these two statements can only describe one creature: the giraffe!

Today, giraffes are familiar residents of zoos around the world. But the first documented giraffe to reach Europe arrived in Florence in 1487, a gift from the Sultan of Egypt to Lorenzo de’ Medici. (Figure 1) The arrival of this exotic animal caused a sensation and was immortalized in several artworks of the time.

Figure 1
Figure 1. Giorgio Vasari (1511–1574) Lorenzo the Magnificent receives the tribute of the ambassadors.

Centuries later, another giraffe made headlines in Europe: Zarafa, a giraffe gifted by the Egyptian Pasha Mehmet Ali to King Charles X of France. Throughout the late 19th century, many wild animals—including giraffes—were captured and sold to enrich zoos and private collections across Europe and the Americas. (Figure 2)

Figure 2
Figure 2. Italian Eritrea colonial postcard (1903) Giraffe hunters.

Giraffes today are classified into four species and seven subspecies, each inhabiting different regions of the African continent:

  • Northern giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)
  • Southern giraffe (Giraffa giraffa)
  • Masai giraffe (Giraffa tippelskirchi)
  • Reticulated giraffe (Giraffa reticulata)

All species are considered vulnerable, with the northern giraffe especially at risk, numbering fewer than 6,000 individuals. Conservation efforts are critical to ensuring their survival. Giraffes can reach heights of up to 6 meters (nearly 20 feet) and live for up to 25 years. In the wild, they feed primarily on leaves and are especially fond of acacia trees, which are covered in long, sharp thorns. Having a long, prehensile tongue, up to 45 cm (18 inches) in length, allows giraffes to access food that is high up and often protected by thorns. The very flexible tongue can reach between thorny acacia branches and grasp leaves without being injured. The tongue is dark blue. This pigmentation helps protect it from the sun’s rays while the animals forage. Another curious feature of giraffes: they have five ossicones (horn-like structures) on their heads—two prominent ones, two smaller ones toward the back, and a central one on the forehead.

At birth, giraffe calves are already as tall as an adult human. Within just a few hours, they can stand and nurse from their mothers.

What a fascinating animal, full of unique traits! Now, let’s enjoy a beautiful gallery of giraffes.

All meter images courtesy of Delcampe.net and eBay.

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Figure 6 Figure 7
Figures 3 - 7. Various giraffe meters.

Figure 8
Figure 8. Two meter stamps printed by the Thuringian Zoo (https://www.zoopark-erfurt.de/) located in Erfurt, the state capital of Thuringia, East Germany, in 1981. Please note the difference in the denomination (5-rayed asterisk vs. filled circle).

Figure 9
Figures 9. giraffe meters.

Editor’s note: While I am not aware of any automat stamps depicting a giraffe, various Internet stamps with that design exist from France.

Figure 10
Figure 10. French Internet stamp for private customers (MonTimbrenLigne) issued by La Poste in 2022.