Portrait of a Maasai giraffe in Arusha National Park, Tanzania.

Abstract

Giraffes are relatively easy to find in Arusha National Park, particularly in an area known as the “Little Serengeti” (serengeti ndogo, in swahili). It is easy to forget just how enormous these mammals are, and getting a portrait picture that is approximately level with the giraffe is difficult. This picture had a little help from a few conveniently placed slopes here. This giraffe is a female, which can reliably be assessed by looking at the horn-like ossicones on her head, which are fluffy. Male giraffes tend to rub off the hair on top of the ossicones as they strive with each other for access to females.