A hot day on the Scottish Savannah

brought families out in droves and the animals seemed to be enjoying the reprieve from the rain too.

There are presently three adult giraffes in Blair Drummond Safari Park. The name giraffe refers to its camel-like face and the patches of color on its fur.

The giraffe is the tallest living animal on the planet standing 16-20 ft tall on exceptionally long legs with an average weight of 3,500 lb for males and 1,800 lb for females. Its long neck has the same number of bones as a human neck and is useful for reaching the succulent leaves of the acacia tree that other animals cannot reach. The two prominent horn-like structures between the giraffe's ears are called ossicones.

The giraffe has large bulging eyes located at both sides of its head which give it all-round vision. Their sense of hearing and smell are very acute and they can close their nostrils to protect against sandstorms and ants. The giraffe's coarse tongue is about 20 inches in length and is useful for grasping thorny foliage. It is purplish-black in color to protect against the hot African sun. There are nine subspecies all distinguishable by their different coat patterns.

The heart of the giraffe is the size of a basketball and weighs up to 12.5kg.

Giraffe are currently at risk due to habitat loss and poaching, however populations are surviving well in and around National Parks and protected areas.