Giraffe habitat and distributionOnline Biology Dictionary
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Treeless regions with low vegetation are not ideal for giraffes because it's hard for them to reach down far enough to eat off the ground. Historically, the giraffe existed throughout most of Africa. Today, however, it occurs naturally only in the sub-Saharan regions of the continent, ranging from southern Mali to Kenya, and south to northern South Africa (see map below). Giraffes gather around rivers and waterholes during the dry season, but move into open, deciduous woodlands during the rains (Leuthold and Leuthold, 1978). These migrations usually cover about 20-30 km. The movements of giraffes, however, are far less constrained by the availability of water. They can go without water for many weeks, if not months. Giraffes are active during the night and cooler hours (giraffes sleep less than two hours a day), but rest during the heat of the day. Expanding human activities, overhunting, and changes in climate have drastically reduced giraffe populations in recent years, especially in western Africa where the local race of the giraffe, peralta, is now classified as endangered by the IUCN.
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