What is the tallest living animal?

The tallest living animal is the giraffe.

Giraffes are the tallest animals alive, with adult males commonly reaching around 5 metres and exceptional individuals approaching 6 metres. Their height comes mainly from an unusually long neck and long legs, each supported by specialized bones and muscles. Despite its length, a giraffe’s neck contains the same seven cervical vertebrae found in most mammals, including humans; each vertebra is simply greatly elongated.

A giraffe’s height helps it browse leaves beyond the reach of most other herbivores. Its main food is often acacia foliage, and its prehensile tongue can grasp leaves while avoiding many thorns. The height also gives giraffes a wide view across open habitats, helping them detect predators.

The elephant is sometimes guessed because it is the largest land animal, but “largest” and “tallest” are different records. Camels and horses are also tall mammals, yet neither approaches the giraffe’s vertical reach. Giraffes also have powerful hearts and specialized blood vessels that help regulate blood pressure when they lower or raise their heads.