Giraffes in the Masai Mara

One of the funniest animals to watch in the wild is the giraffe.  Giraffes are long and lanky and give off a prehistoric vibe.  Despite their strange proportions they walk elegantly, but they do run very awkwardly.  They prefer to hang out in groups for which the proper term is journey- a journey of giraffes.  Their colors are striking against the sapphire sky, but blend in perfectly amongst the tall grass and trees.  Watching them drink water was one of my trip highlights.  They have to tripod their legs, opening them very wide, to be able to reach water on the ground.  They are herbivores and have no natural predators, but they can be very shy skittish.  Little birds hang out on their backs and eat bugs off of them.  They seemed to be as enamored by the great migration as we were, and many times we saw them watching the wildebeests graze and run beneath them.  They have extremely long tongues that can reach their eyelids.  They were one of my favorite animals to just sit back and watch do their thing.