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What if I told you there's an animal that's as tall as a two-story house, has a tongue longer than a ruler, and sleeps for less than two hours a day. Today we're learning about one of the tallest and most amazing animals God ever created, the giraffe. I'm your host, Garrett Maroon, and before I introduce my three favorite safari explorers, let me give a huge thank you. Thank you to my dad, who we call Jitto, for this week's topic. If you want to say hi to the Nature Loving Kids, suggest a nature or animal topic, or get a birthday shout out, email us at Nature LovingKidsPodcast at gmail.com. Now, on to my three favorite safari explorers.

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Hi, I'm Hattie, and giraffes have weird tongues. And I'm Dylan, and I want to know how they fit through doors. And I'm Ivy and I'm the funny one.

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Let's meet the tallest animal on earth. Adult giraffes can grow nearly 18 feet tall.

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Wow.

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That's about as tall as a two-story house.

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That's incredible. Why are they so tall?

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Their height helps them reach leaves that almost no other animal can reach. While zebras and antelope are eating grass, giraffes are eating from the tops of trees.

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So it's like having the best seat at the dinner table.

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Exactly.

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Wanna hear one of the coolest specs? Ya! People think giraffes must have lots of extra neck bones, but they don't. Really? How many do they have? Seven. Exactly the same number as you. No way. Yep. Our neck bones are just much shorter. God designed giraffe neck bones to be incredibly long. That's amazing. It's the same design, just stretch it out.

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Now let's talk about one of the strangest tongues in nature. A giraffe's tongue can be about 18 to 20 inches long.

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That's longer than my arm.

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It almost is. And it's dark blue or purple.

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Why is it blue? Scientists think a darker color helps protect it from getting sunburned while it spends hours reaching into trees. I didn't know tongues could get sunburned.

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Most don't spend all day in the sun like a giraffe does. Alright, giraffe joke break. Let's hear what you have for us, kiddos.

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Why do giraffes have long necks? Why? Because their feet smell. What did the giraffe say to the different gas that was blue all over its body? What? Squiggy squicks. Yeah.

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Here's another incredible fact.

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A giraffe's heart weighs around 25 pounds.

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Now you may wonder why does it need such a huge heart? Because it has to pump blood all the way up that long neck to the brain. Their heart creates about twice the blood pressure that humans have.

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Wouldn't all that blood rush to their head when they bend down?

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Great question. God designed special valves in the blood vessels of their neck that help control the blood flow. Otherwise, they could faint every time they took a drink.

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That's incredible, engineering. Did you know? No two giraffes have the same spot pattern? Just like zebras have different stripes?

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Exactly. Every giraffe's spots are unique. Scientists can actually recognize individual giraffes by looking at their patterns.

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The spots also help release body heat, keeping giraffes cooler on hot African days.

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Remember when I said giraffes don't sleep much? Most giraffes only sleep 30 minutes to two hours a day.

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How? I'd be exhausted. I would have to drink more coffee. You don't drink coffee. Because they have to stay alert for predators. They often sleep in very short naps that last only a few minutes. Sometimes they even sleep standing up. I can't even nap standing up.

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Alright, I think we should have a few more giraffe jokes. Lay it on us, kiddos.

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What do you call an animal that turned into a boat? What? A giraffe. What do giraffes have that no one else has? What? Baby giraffes.

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When you look at a giraffe, it's hard not to smile. Everything about it is unique. A long neck, a giant heart, a blue tongue, beautiful spots, and long legs.

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It's almost like every part was carefully planned.

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Exactly. Psalm 104 reminds us that God filled the earth with creatures of every kind. The giraffe reminds us that God didn't just create animals to survive, He created them with beauty, creativity, and incredible design. Every feature has a purpose.

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Think about this: an animal.

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As tall as a house.

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With a tongue almost two feet long, a heart the size of a tire. And a one-of-a-kind pattern that no one else has.

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That's one incredible animal.

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It really is. The more we learn about giraffes, the more we discover the creativity of God's creation.

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Giraffes aren't just tall, they're living masterpieces of design. From their powerful hearts to their amazing tongues and towering height, they remind us that nature is full of incredible wonders. Thanks for joining us on the Nature Loving Kids Podcast.

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If you like this episode, share it with a friend. And remember, click the follow button. New episode every Wednesday. And please leave a review. We read every one. And next time you see a draft, remember, it has the same number of necklace as you.

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Until next time, stay curious, get outside and remember, the world is full of wild wonders.

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Actually, it's like this, Mom. The world is full of wild wonders. The world is full of wild wonders.