When most animals run, rear legs do most of the pushing. When giraffes run, the front legs do most of the pushing. This is one reason why they have such large muscles in their shoulders. It is vulnerable to attack when drinking because of the need to spread its front legs far apart in a series of peculiar movements. Males fight a great deal by engaging in neck or head slamming.
Blows can be very heavy and often are perceptible some distance away.
To defend themselves, giraffes kick with their fore legs. They have even been known to kill a lion with a kick when defending their babies. Twins are rare. The female gives birth in a standing position. Research indicates that a weak maternal instinct may cause many lost calves.