Other bulls are solitary or in pairs. Giraffes usually sleep standing up. Going for a month without water is also possible as an adaptation to long drought periods in their native areas. They prefer to drink regularly, but can go without water for several days. Giraffes can run up to 35 mph.
Giraffes kick with their hooves and slam with their heads.
Full body size is not reached until age five. The carotid artery that carries blood from the heart to the head is thick, muscular and elastic, ballooning when the giraffe stoops to absorb increase in pressure. When the giraffe raises its head, a series of check valves in the inch-wide jugular vein prevents a sudden back flow from the emptying brain. Giraffes are most vulnerable to predators when drinking or lying down. Their spot patterns are as individual as fingerprints.