I am analysing the physics behind necking in giraffe and need to access giraffe fighting videos. Do you have access to any material we can analyse?

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Hanno Krieger

I´ve no video, but a series of photos of fighting giraffes from 2012 in Namibia. If you are interested, send a short message.

Robert Simmons

Thanks Hanno,

Because I need to determine the speed of the head, I'm afraid your still photos probably wont help. Its the frame-by-frame sequence that I need. Thanks Rob

Hubertus Jacobus Van Hensbergen

The BBC series Africa features a sequence of necking in Namibia. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p012zlh0

Thats what I suspected. Sorry, but the speed was so high that my camera could partially not solve the movement by time.

Good luck for your research. Regards Hanno

Hi Hubertus,

Indeed there are several very good sequences out there, and I have tried to access that one through the BBC. With no luck. We need the video itself to go frame by frame.

Thanks for the lead though. Rob

Lindsay Jane Marshall

I have a short video that I took of two giraffes neck fighting in Kruger in 2011 if you would like to use it. I just put it up on You Tube for you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgTpLsL4PzE

Syed Abbas Jafar

Hi Lindsay

Thanks for uploading your interesting videos. To me it looks like a foreplay of actual mating than fighting, though I am not too sure about this. I have seen several videos on channels where hind legs of giraffes are violently used in fighting aggressive pack of Lions.

Hi Syed,

That is very interesting to know! I am a shark biologist and don't know anything about giraffes. It looked pretty aggressive to us, but they do walk off together afterward.

Chris Harrod

might be worth emailing John Doherty of the Reticulated Giraffe Project (and Queen's Belfast). I don't have his email, but you could try here: [email protected]

Hi Lindsay, Syed and Chris,

Many thanks for your video clips (received!), explanations and contacts.

On the Youtube clip, this is indeed a very brief encounter between rival males (note how they are "standing tall" before the first swipe by one male). They settled this dispute quickly before one got hurt. As you will know they can kill each other by necking. The kicking you refer to Syed is a defence against predators not used in the sexually selected necking.

I'll try John Doherty as you suggest Chris.

Many thanks to you all Rob

Thanks Robert,

Hope it helped. Very interesting! Thank you for the explanation. I am glad I didn't witness any seriously hurting each other via neck fighting.

Hi Robert and Lindsay et al.

It is well known that when fighting over a female, the male giraffes indulge in mild to violent "necking". A few violent necking videos for your use could be seen on website. However, the video clip uploaded by Lindsay probably depicts mild necking after which they may caress each other with their necks and have sex - it is reported that over 75% male giraffes indulge in sex with their male counterparts. I agree that "Kicking" with hind legs can inflict a deadly blow and is used to fight off predators.

Do have a look at: Tall Blondes: A Book About Giraffes by Lynn Sherr.

Pascal Fust

Hey Robert,

I might have some footage of necking between young males, however, if you're only looking for some "serious stuff", this might not help, as it was more like a training between subadults.