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You mean those strange protrusions that aren't really antennae and not quite antlers? We didn't know either but set out on a search safari to find out. It turns out that technically they are horns. Unlike the horns of many other animals, though, those bony structures atop the giraffe are covered with skin and tufts of hair. Baby giraffes are one of the few types of animals actually born with horns (ouch!), though they lie flat against the skull at birth. They pop up during the first week of life and get bonier as the animal ages. A giraffe can sport anywhere from two to five of the knobs, and both sexes of the species have them, though the females' tend
to be a bit smaller. There seems to be some disagreement about the purpose of these peculiar-looking stalks. The horns contain a lot of veins, leading some scientists to speculate that they may serve as cooling towers for the animal, a place where the body can release heat. Another theory suggests that the horns may be the vestiges of antlers, left over from the giraffe's ancestors. And the African Wildlife Foundation states authoritatively that the horns protect the giraffe's head from blows. Whatever their purpose, they certainly give the graceful giant an even more distinctive appearance.
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