Why do giraffes have black or purple tongues?
The front of a giraffe’s tongue is dark in colour (purple, blue or black) but the back and base of it is pink. Although not scientifically proven yet, many experts believe that this darker pigment is nature’s way of protecting giraffe tongues against ultraviolet rays.
Why does a giraffe have a purple tongue?
If you’ve ever been lucky enough to be licked by a giraffe, you’ll notice that their 50cm-long tongues can appear purple, bluish or almost black in colour. This is due to the density of dark ‘melanin’ colour pigments in them.
Why does a giraffe get a sunburn on its tongue?
Yep, sunburn, of all things. Giraffes spend the majority of their waking life grazing, so their tongues see plenty of hot, African sun rays. And the last thing you want while trying to eat leaves from a thorny tree is a sunburnt tongue! Their tongues are high in melanin, a pigment which protects against sun exposure.
Why do giraffes use their tongues to clean their ears?
Giraffes also routinely use their tongues to clean their ears! Surely not the tastiest process. But with their lack of Q-tips, they’re lucky to be able to keep them clean at all. Additionally, male giraffes use their tongues to help them select a suitable mating partner.
How long is the tongue of a giraffe?
So how long is a giraffe’s tongue? On average, they’re between 45 cm and 50 cm in length – that’s up to 5 times longer than the longest human tongues! Why do giraffes have long tongues? Giraffe’s lanky lickers aren’t just for show.
If you’ve ever been lucky enough to be licked by a giraffe, you’ll notice that their 50cm-long tongues can appear purple, bluish or almost black in colour. This is due to the density of dark ‘melanin’ colour pigments in them.
Yep, sunburn, of all things. Giraffes spend the majority of their waking life grazing, so their tongues see plenty of hot, African sun rays. And the last thing you want while trying to eat leaves from a thorny tree is a sunburnt tongue! Their tongues are high in melanin, a pigment which protects against sun exposure.
How does a giraffe protect itself from thorns?
Africa’s Senegalia and Vachellia species have developed fierce defensive thorns, requiring giraffe to use their dexterous tongues to sort out the nutritious leaves from spiky thorns. Fortunately, a giraffe’s tongue has thickened papillae, which helps to protect it from these vicious thorns.
Giraffes also routinely use their tongues to clean their ears! Surely not the tastiest process. But with their lack of Q-tips, they’re lucky to be able to keep them clean at all. Additionally, male giraffes use their tongues to help them select a suitable mating partner.