While they may look odd, all the giraffe parts have a specific function. The horns on a giraffe s head are actually bony lumps that grow from the skull. These knobby horns protect the giraffe's sensitive eyes from the blazing sun. The giraffe's long neck helps it reach tall branches. Some scientists think the long neck helps boy giraffes show off to girl giraffes.
Male giraffes show off by standing next to one another and ramming their necks together.
This practice is often mistaken as affection between a male and a female giraffe, but it s really only practiced between males. Sometimes the two males ram their necks so hard that their necks get twisted like a pretzel. There are some serious drawbacks to having such long necks. When giraffes drink, they actually have to lie down. As you may have learned in last week's Mystery Photo , this makes them vulnerable to attack by lions.