This piece of a giraffe neck bone was found in Kenya and is part of our Natural History Collection.
The giraffe was presumed to have died of natural causes. The neck of a giraffe is made up of seven large bones known as cervical vertebrae. At an average height of around 5 m (or 16-18 ft), the giraffe is the tallest land animal in the world. Many people first believed the giraffe was a cross between a leopard and a camel, which is reflected in its scientific name, "giraffa camelopardalis".
Giraffes mainly live in savanna areas in the sub-Saharan region of Africa. Their height allows them to eat leaves and shoots that are out of the reach of other animals. They particularly like acacia trees.