One of the many highlights of a recent safari in Kenya were the large numbers of giraffes we encountered. These almost literally fabulous animals are one of nature’s most marvellous creatures.
While seriously endangered, the good news is that their numbers are, however, quite healthy in certain key reserves.
Imagine my amazement then on returning to Cambridge to find the city host to dozens of giraffes, each decorated in a unique pattern.
The Cambridge Standing Tall project involves more than 90 giraffe models decorated in a huge range of eye-catching styles, sponsored and created by many organisations in the city, the main aim being to raise money for young care leavers. They will be auctioned for charity in June. Meanwhile, a map enables people to track down all 93 giraffes – great fun for tourists, locals and especially for children.
Real giraffes come in different patterns too. We saw two different kinds in Kenya: Rothschild’s giraffe and Maasai giraffe, usually regarded as subspecies. At Soysambu Conservancy alongside the soda lake of Elmentaita, the giraffes were Rothschild’s, one of the most endangered, with only around 1,500 individuals remaining. They are stunning, with orange-brown patches on a cream background, and unmarked lower legs, making them look like they are wearing white stockings.
Further south, at the famous reserve of Amboseli, under the magnificent Mount Kilimanjaro, itself in adjacent Tanzania, the giraffes were the Masai subspecies, which has jagged, irregular spots and patches all over its body, including the legs. They have a wider range, and number in total some 32,500.
At one lodge we had the pleasure of watching giraffes coming down to drink at a water hole after a dry spell. Ever watchful, a small group slowly emerged from the surrounding bush, gliding out from behind tall acacia trees, glancing warily from side to side, on the lookout for potential danger. Being so tall, and with powerful legs, giraffes are safe most of the time, except when extremely young, but when they drink they are at their most vulnerable.
The procedure they adopt to slake their thirst is a marvel to behold. They move slowly towards the water’s edge, then when they finally sense that all is clear, slowly spread their front legs and lower their necks towards the water. Just before reaching the water the lower limb of each front leg seems to dislocate strangely.
The lowest part of the front leg is anatomically formed from fused metacarpal bones — equivalent to our hand, so what looks like an elbow is actually the wrist. Similarly, the lowest part of the hind leg is formed from what would be our foot. Although it is so long, the giraffe’s neck has the same number of vertebrae as a human neck, just seven.
Some other tall creatures also featured on our safari, notably ostriches, the largest living bird, and completely flightless. Like giraffes, ostriches have long, powerful legs that can inflict a nasty blow to any potential predator and so, even though they cannot fly, they are well able to protect themselves, and can run at high speed – up to 40mph.
The males are not hard to spot with their dark body and wing feathers, but the females, being grey-brown, often blend into the background, especially when incubating eggs.
One day a splendid secretary bird strode purposefully across in front of our vehicle, its ‘quill-pen’ feathers behind its ears. This strange bird, related to hawks, spends most of its time pacing across the open savanna, searching for insects and small vertebrates such as lizards and rodents.
They can fly, but do so only rarely, notably when displaying in the breeding season, and sometimes soaring using thermals in the manner of vultures.
Also walking about in the long grass searching for prey were Kori bustards, one of the largest and heaviest of all flying birds. An adult male Kori bustard is thought to be the heaviest living animal capable of true flight, and can tip the scales at 20kg (44lb).
As we gaze out into the April showers, the giraffes of the Cambridge Standing Tall trail take our minds back to the warm sun of Kenya and the majestic live giraffes of the African savannas.
