When it comes to enduring harsh weather, giraffes truly have a unique challenge. Their extraordinary height, which makes them the tallest mammals on the planet, also means they often have no option but to brave inclement weather without seeking shelter.
This realization has recently struck a chord with internet users, causing many to reflect on the plight of these magnificent creatures. A viral video capturing a group of giraffes standing stoically amid a fierce rainstorm in Kenya has brought this issue to the forefront, vividly conveying the giraffes’ predicament.
With giraffes reaching heights of up to 5.5 meters (or 550 centimeters), their towering stature leaves them exposed during storms, unable to find cover easily. This revelation was shared widely on social media, sparking a wave of empathy and astonishment.
One viewer expressed their surprise, commenting, “It never occurred to me that giraffes can’t really take cover from storms,” in response to a post by Earth Curated. Another user poignantly added, “Having to rawdog a storm is crazy,” accompanied by a broken heart emoji, encapsulating the emotional response elicited by the video.
“It never occurred to me that giraffes can’t really take cover from storms,” the post by Earth Curated read.
“Having to rawdog a storm is crazy,” responded one alongside a broken heart emoji.
“The only ones who can claim to stand the rain,” replied another.
Experts at Sydney Taronga Zoo have explained that while it appears to be a sad plight for the animals, they are actually perfectly safe weathering storms.
“Standing is the safest position for a giraffe,” Renae Moss, a Senior Giraffe Keeper at Taronga Zoo, told news.com.au.
“Because of their large size and unique body shape, sitting puts them in a vulnerable position since it takes several seconds for them to get back on their feet.
“Sitting in the rain would be even riskier, as the sound of rainfall could mask the approach of predators. In addition, rising from wet, muddy ground would be more difficult and slippery.”
Giraffes also happen to have in-built thermoregulation to help them navigate the cooler temperatures rain may bring.
“The patches on coat are not just for camouflage but have a series blood vessels underneath for thermoregulation,” she explained.
“It is amazing that social media is drawing attention to vulnerable species like giraffe, but their biggest threat is not rain.
“Human encroachment and habitat loss pose a greater threat to their survival. Without rain giraffes cannot survive as they will lose their food and water source.
“Giraffes have evolved to survive in these conditions for many years and videos like these are a very anthropomorphic view of giraffe life.”
But the truth about giraffes being fine to stand in the rain hasn’t stopped the seemingly heart-tugging clip from engaging a strong reaction online, and has since crossed platforms to TikTok, where it’s triggered an even deeper reaction.
One woman, who posts under the handle @missferg, shared a video of herself crying in response to the revelation.
“I just found out that giraffes are too tall and they don’t have anywhere to go when it rains and when it storms,” she said as tears can be seen streaming down her cheeks.
“They just have to stand there.
“They’re taller than most trees, so they can’t even seek shelter from those. As if being a giraffe wasn’t hard enough.”
She concludes her video by declaring that “giraffes don’t bother nobody. They don’t bother nobody” before asking “who do I need to call?” in order to get the tall animals the shelter they deserve.
Her video clearly struck a nerve because it’s now been viewed more than 44 million times.
The comments also shared in her heartache, with many expressing their own concern.
“How do we send them umbrellas?” one user questioned.
Another said: “They are so innocent.”
“I got a lot of problems, now I’ve got to worry about giraffes during storms,” a third pointed out.
But others questioned why the woman had become so emotional over the idea of giraffes being rained on.
“Of all the problems in the world, you choose this one,” one commenter joked.
Another user commented: “Me when I’m on my period.”
“It’s OK because they like to release their inhibitions and feel the rain on their skin,” a third added.
