Why does giraffes have horns

They are very unique to the giraffe and you only find them and one other species more info further down. Some giraffes have three ossicones. Two at the back of the head and one in the center between the eyes. And as you can see further down in this article, some of the extinct relatives to the giraffe have four ossicones! This is just one of the many wonders in nature and we would probably never find out exactly why this type of giraffe has an extra horn.

And you may wonder how it can defend itself from other animals. In order to defend itself, it can actually knock even big cats out so they become unconscious for a while. This gives the giraffe an opportunity to run away before the predator wakes up again. As the giraffe swings his head these little horns add extra weight and therefore extra speed to the swing. So it might be an advantage for the giraffe to have them after all even though they might look funny and not seem important.

They are covered with skin and are not pointy like antlers and real horns. Just like that. The ossicones are covered with skin so they are not like antlers. They are not hard like horns either. When you touch ossicones they feel soft and firm like the legs of the giraffe. Opt in to receive news and updates. We use MailerLite as our marketing automation platform. By clicking below to submit this form, you acknowledge that the information you provide will be transferred to MailerLite for processing in accordance with their Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

Please check your email to confirm your subscription. You will not be subscribed until we receive your confirmation. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated. Hit enter to search or ESC to close. Try listening really, really hard next time!

Learn more about giraffes and how you can help them in the wild! Mail: P. Tickets H ours Donate Search. Plan Visit. About Us. Giraffes are amazingly unique animals, with a lot of interesting features and behaviors. Bonus fact: The fact that the males and females differ in characteristics, beyond their reproductive organs, is called sexual dimorphism. Some giraffe species also grow other smaller ossicones on their heads, which are more like bumps than horns. These bumps tend to be larger in males than in females.

The extras are a pair of bumps behind the main set, and another bump above the bridge of the nose. The front bump is most prominent in male Northern and reticulated giraffes , which is one of the features that sets them apart from their Southern and Masai cousins.

However, ossicones are not actually made of living bone. Instead, they comprise ossified cartilage , which is cartilage that has effectively turned into hard, bone-like tissue. They differ from horns and antlers in that skin and fur cover them , as opposed to velvet or keratin. In addition, ossicones are not subject to seasonal shedding, which is the hallmark of the antler.

These horn-like protuberances are unique to giraffes, okapis, and a few of their long-extinct cousins. So, what are giraffe horns for? Yet evolution tells us that they must have been useful at some point in time.

The truth is, no one really knows why exactly giraffes have ossicones. It seems likely that they are remnants of more useful appendages, found in distant ancestors. Possibly protrusions to which something larger attached to the head.

The boney antennae add weight to the head, which proves useful in combat. Male giraffes fight by swinging their long necks , colliding their heads against their opponents. As such, having a pointy pair of protrusions, as well as a bit of extra weight, is something that adds an advantage.

Remember the furless ossicones of male giraffes? Necking is the real culprit. Years of knocking noggins with other males wears away the fur and skin, until their ossicones become bald. In fact, giraffes are the only animal born with horns.