Tanzanian Safari Journal

Arusha National Park: Giraffe Sparring

giraffe trio by mwilkinson

giraffe by mwilkinson We all became very fond of giraffes- their elegance, fluidity of movement and gentle, and their sweet faces. In Arusha, there were more giraffes than one could imagine. First one head and neck would appear among the trees, then suddenly there would be 4 or maybe 10. Once, we counted 17 in one small area.

A most interesting spectacle occurred one morning as we drove along our route. There in the middle of the road were two large giraffes. I watched enraptured as they seemed to be entwining their necks and keeping close contact. How romantic and graceful! And how wrong I was. They were two males fighting by whacking each other's neck and body checking. The encounter was interrupted by the intrusion of a younger and smaller male which evidently ruined the whole thing as then everyone went his separate way. As did we.

Text by Wildlife Trust member Virginia Mars, Photographs by Wild Ones Director Michael Wilkinson

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