Giraffes are found in savannahs, grasslands, and open woodlands across Africa, but the Nubian subspecies is now restricted to small populations in protected areas of Kenya and northern Uganda.

As strict herbivores, Nubian giraffes primarily consume leaves and buds from trees. Adult males can eat up to 80 kg of leaves per day, and their stomach is specially adapted to digest large amounts of plant material through its chambered structure.
Giraffes typically live in small herds, with males and females (including their calves) separating outside the mating season. They can run at speeds of up to 56 kmph but cannot jump. When threatened, giraffes defend themselves with powerful kicks.
Females give birth to a single calf after a gestation period of 14 to 16 months. Calves are often born while the mother is standing, which means the newborn falls about two metres at birth. Sadly, up to half of giraffe calves do not survive their first year in the wild.

The Nubian giraffe has been eradicated from much of its former habitat, and fewer than 4,000 individuals remain in the wild according to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation. Habitat destruction due to agriculture and development, as well as past hunting for their hides and tail hairs, have contributed to their conservation status.

Giraffes sleep while standing up but only for about five minutes at a time, remaining alert for predators. On average, they sleep for only about two hours a day. Despite their long necks, giraffes, like humans, have seven cervical vertebrae.

It is a long-standing tradition at Fota Wildlife Park to give all of the Fota-born giraffes Irish names. The Park’s herd feeds primarily on willow branches, which are grown and harvested locally.