The Giraffe is an African even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest of all land-living animal species. Males can be 4.8 to 5.5 metres (16 to 18 feet); tall and weigh up to 1,360 kilograms (3,000 pounds);. The record-sized bull was 5.87 m (19.2 feet); tall and weighed approximately 2,000 kg (4,400 lbs.);. Females are generally slightly shorter and weigh less than the males do.

The giraffe is related to deer and cattle, but is placed in a separate family, the Giraffidae, consisting only of the giraffe and its closest relative, the okapi. Its range extends from Chad to South Africa.