Scientific commentary
Which freezing mixtures keep giraffe sperm moving?
A controlled comparison of six preservation treatments separates keeping sperm cells intact from keeping them capable of forward movement.
Giraffe research, explained.Page 8
The questions, fieldwork and discoveries behind giraffe science. Each story explains an original study, what it found and what remains uncertain.
Research stories
64–72 of 179 stories
Scientific commentary
Why long giraffe legs do not guarantee better leverage
A limb can be long and almost straight while giving its muscles surprisingly little leverage against the force coming up from the ground.
Scientific commentary
A Giraffe’s Enlarged Thyroid Reveals a Bacterial Clue
An investigation after a giraffe’s death found a familiar bacterium in an unusual place—and different clues in organs farther away.
Scientific commentary
Why Losing Two Giraffes Could Endanger a Small Population
A simulation for Cameroon’s Bénoué National Park showed why infrequent losses can matter when few breeding animals remain.
Scientific commentary
After Release, Did the Giraffes Make a Home?
Four tracked giraffes used space as though they had settled; two kept making long, nearly linear journeys. A large mapped range alone could not explain the difference.
Scientific commentary
Why Early Giraffe Population Growth Can Mislead
A small founder group could grow for decades yet fail the longer test of persistence and genetic diversity.
Scientific commentary
The Hidden Plant Choices That Separate Browsers
Sharing a feeding guild does not mean sharing the same diet. Plant DNA exposed differences that the word browser conceals.
Scientific commentary
How Steep Ground Gives Trees a Break from Browsing
The richest patch of trees was not the busiest place for giraffes. Small changes in terrain changed the pressure on browse.
Scientific commentary
Kenya’s Giraffe Decline Was Part of a Larger Shift
A long-running survey archive showed wildlife shrinking across Kenya’s rangelands while the composition of livestock also changed.