What Color Is a Giraffe’s Tongue?

A giraffe’s tongue appears to be black, purple or blue on the tip, and it is pink toward the throat and on the underside. The prehensile tongue is perfectly adapted to its favorite food, the leaves of the acacia tree. The dark coloration may protect the tongue from sunburn.

Africa’s acacia species has vicious thorns for protection, but the giraffe’s 18- to 20-inch tongue deftly separates the thorns from the leaves. Small, thick, fleshy bumps on a giraffe’s tongue and substantial saliva also offer protection from the thorns. Giraffes have four stomachs that digest their food, and when they are not eating, they regurgitate a ball of leaves called cud for further crunching.

World View

9 of the Best Online Citation Generators for Academic Papers

History

The History of Independence Day in the U.S.

World View

This Year We’re Skipping the Fireworks, and Other 4th of July Safety Tips

History

Why Was the Declaration of Independence Written?

History

58 Years Later: What Was the Civil Rights Act of 1964?

History

Facts About the Louisiana Purchase That Might Surprise You