Andy Rouse / Maasai Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) silhouetted by beams of light from setting sun, Maasai Mara, Kenya, Africa. Winner of the African section of the Natures Best Windland Smith Rice...

Martin Dohrn / Herd of giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) resting at night, Masai Mara, Kenya. Image taken at night using thermal camera technology, with no artificial light.

Mary McDonald / Masai giraffe {Giraffa camelopardalis} mother nuzzling baby, Lower Masai Mara GR, Kenya

Staffan Widstrand / Southern Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) two, with one in foreground, Zimanga Private Nature Reserve, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa

John Shaw / Common giraffe (Giraffa tippelskirchi) bending to drink at a waterhole, with another standing on the opposite side of the pool reflected in the water. Klein Namutoni waterhole, Etosha National Park, N...

Richard Du Toit / Northern Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) calves, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Ann & Steve Toon / Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) drinking at night, Zimanga private game reserve, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa August

Richard Du Toit / Northern Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) with Red-billed Oxpeckers (Buphagus erythrorhynchus) feeding on parasites in symbiotic relationship, Mkhuze Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Richard Du Toit / Northern Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) mother and calf, Itala Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Sebastian Kennerknecht / South African Giraffe (Giraffa giraffa giraffa) juvenile at sunset, Greater Makalali Private Game Reserve, South Africa

Denis-Huot / Masai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi), female and calf at sunset, with Abdim's storks in flight, Masai-Mara Game Reserve, Kenya

Denis-Huot / Masai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) in distance silhouetted at sunrise with clouds, Masai-Mara Game Reserve, Kenya. September.

Denis-Huot / Masai giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) in dry season, Masai-Mara Game Reserve, Kenya. March.

Denis-Huot / Masai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) herd at sunrise, Masai-Mara Game Reserve, Kenya. November.

Denis-Huot / Masai giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi), at sunrise, Masai-Mara Game Reserve, Kenya. March.

Ingo Arndt / Masai Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) male and female, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya, Africa

Ingo Arndt / Masai Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) two adults, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya, Africa

Ingo Arndt / Masai Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) two adults, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya, Africa

Richard Du Toit / Northern Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) mother and calf, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, South Africa

Yva Momatiuk & John Eastcott / Angolan Giraffe (Giraffa giraffa angolensis) and Hartmann's Mountain Zebra (Equus zebra hartmannae) group in dry season, Etosha National Park, Namibia

Bence Mate / Group of four Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) Mkuze, South Africa

Ingo Arndt / Masai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) males fighting, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. Sequence 3 of 3

Neil Aldridge / Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) feeding on woolly caper (Capparis tomentosa). Chobe National Park, Botswana.

Denis-Huot / Masai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) baby standing below female, Maasai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya

Denis-Huot / Masai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) two silhouetted at sunrise, Maasai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya.

David Pattyn / Reticulated giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata) young standing close to its mother, Samburu Game Reserve, Kenya, Africa, August.

David Pattyn / Reticulated giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata) mother grooming baby, Samburu Game Reserve, Kenya, Africa, August.

Eric Baccega / Angolan giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis angolensis) and black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) reflecting in waterhole at sunset, Okaukuejo, Etosha National Park, Namibia, Africa

Anup Shah / Masai Giraffe (Giraffa tippelskirchi) males necking, Masai Mara, Kenya, Sequence 3 of 3

Richard Du Toit / Red-billed Oxpecker (Buphagus erythrorhynchus) landing on South African Giraffe (Giraffa giraffa giraffa), KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Richard Du Toit / South African Giraffe (Giraffa giraffa giraffa) pair courting, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Sean Crane / Reticulated Giraffe (Giraffa reticulata) mother and calf, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Kenya

Denis-Huot / Masai giraffe (Giraffa cameleopardalis tippelskirchi) herd walking across savanna in dry season, Masai-Mara Game Reserve, Kenya

Ann & Steve Toon / Rothschild's giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi), feeding on leaves, Woburn Safari Park, UK, June, captive.

Denis-Huot / Masai giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi), at sunrise, Masai-Mara Game Reserve, Kenya. March.

Denis-Huot / Young Lioness (Panthera leo) chasing Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) Masai-Mara game reserve, Kenya.

Denis-Huot / Masai giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) silhouetted at sunrise, Masai-Mara game reserve, Kenya.

Denis-Huot / West African giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis peralta) mother and baby nuzzling each other. Bioparc Zoo de Doue la Fontaine, France. Captive, occurs in south-western Niger. Endangered subspecies.

ZSSD / Masai Giraffe (Giraffa tippelskirchi) calf

Denis-Huot / Masai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) group feeding, Masai-Mara Game Reserve, Kenya

Andy Rouse / Maasai Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) courtship display Maasai Mara, Kenya, Africa

Andy Rouse / Masai Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) under setting sun Masai Mara, Kenya, Africa

Andy Rouse / Maasai Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) under setting sun Maasai Mara, Kenya, Africa

Anup Shah / Masai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi)male in front of woodland, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya, July

Denis-Huot / Herd of Angolan giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis angolensis) and Burchell's zebras (Equus quagga) aerial view, Okavango delta, Bostwana

Denis-Huot / Masai Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi), males fighting. Masai-Mara game reserve, Kenya.

Denis-Huot / Masai Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) male and female (back). Masai-Mara Game Reserve, Kenya.

Denis-Huot / Male buffalo (Syncerus caffer) chasing Masai Giraffe (Giraffa cameleopardalis tippelskirchi) Masai-Mara Game Reserve, Kenya.

Winfried Wisniewski / Masai Giraffe (Giraffa tippelskirchi) males fighting, Masai Mara, Kenya

Chris Mattison / Giraffe necked weevils (Trachelophorus giraffa) male. Endemic to Andasibe, Madagascar.

Christophe Courteau / Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) stalking scrubland, with Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) in the background. Kalahari Desert, Botswana

Christophe Courteau / West African giraffe {Giraffa camelopardis peralta} poached by local people. Sahel, Niger.

Christophe Courteau / West African giraffes {Giraffa camelopardis peralta} in millet plantation Sahel, Niger.

Christophe Courteau / West African giraffe {Giraffe camelopardis peralta} in local village. Sahel, Niger.

Christophe Courteau / West African giraffe {Giraffe camelopardis peralta} skin detail.

Christophe Courteau / Pair of West African giraffes {Giraffe camelopardis peralta}. Male on right, female on left.

Christophe Courteau / West African giraffe male feeding {Giraffa camelopardis peralta}. Sahel, Niger.

Christophe Courteau / West African giraffes {Giraffa camelopardalis peralta}. Dallol Bosso Nord, Sahel, Niger.

Christophe Courteau / West African giraffe calf {Giraffa camelopardalis peralta}, Niger.

Christophe Courteau / West African giraffe face {Giraffa camelopardis peralta}. Sahel, Niger.

Cheryl-Samantha Owen / Rothschild's giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi), Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda, East Africa. Murchison Falls National Park hosts the only remaining naturally occurring population of...

Charlie Summers / Maasai Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) feeding on Acacia tree, Serengeti, Tanzania

Ann & Steve Toon / Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis), two adults with baby, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Northern Cape, South Africa, January

Edwin Giesbers / Rothschild's giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi) close up of young calf skin pattern, captive

Edwin Giesbers / Rothschild's giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi) two curious giraffes looking down, captive

Edwin Giesbers / Rothschild's giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi) two curious giraffes looking down, captive

Edwin Giesbers / Reticulated giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata) calf standing in front of adult, captive

Sergey Gorshkov / Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) three standing together, silhouetted at dusk, Okavango Delta, Botswana

Sergey Gorshkov / Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) female bending down to calf, Okavango Delta, Botswana

Andy Rouse / Three Masai Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) visible over grass. Masai Mara, Kenya, Africa.

Andy Rouse / Masai Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) seen from a low angle. Masai Mara, Kenya, Africa.

Nick Garbutt / Masai Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) on open plains browsing Whistling Thorn Acacia (Acacia drepanolobium). Slopes of the Ngorongoro Highlands with the Serengeti Plains beyond, Tanzania. (Digitally...

Richard Du Toit / Giraffe legs (Giraffa camelopardalis), Zululand, South Africa, November

Laurent Geslin / Masai giraffe {Giraffa camelopardalis} mother licking baby, Masai Mara reserve, Kenya, July

ZSSD / Rothschild Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi), native to Africa

ZSSD / Rothschild Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi) calf, native to Africa

ZSSD / Rothschild Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi) mother and calf nuzzling, native to Africa

Kim Taylor / Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) in profile (wild animal photogaphed in Africa, background digitally removed)

Anup Shah / Masai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) crossing the Mara River - wide angle perspective, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. August 2009.

Tui De Roy / Reticulated Giraffe (Giraffa reticulata) mother and calves, Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Kenya

Anup Shah / Southern / Masai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) males dominance mating, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. February

Laurent Geslin / Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) with man paddling boat in the background. Botswana, winter

Staffan Widstrand / Two Masai Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchii) heads silhouetted against sky, above tree line at dusk, Serengeti NP, Tanzania, East Africa, January

Alex Hyde / Giraffe necked weevil {Trachelophorus giraffa} male on leaf of host plant (Dichaetanthera cordifolia) tropical rainforest, Mantadia NP, Madagascar

Alex Hyde / Giraffe necked weevil {Trachelophorus giraffa} male photographed on white background, tropical rainforest, Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, Madagascar

Nick Garbutt / Male Giraffe-necked Weevil (Trachelophorus giraffa) Montane rainforest, Vohiparara, Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.

Anup Shah / Southern / Masai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) feeding on tree while Plains / Common zebra passes by (Equus quagga burchellii). Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. March.

Charlie Summers / Two Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) use their necks in fight for dominance, Etosha Pan, Namibia, Southern Africa

Anup Shah / Two bull Southern / Masai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) play fighting. Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. February

Anup Shah / Southern / Masai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi)silhouetted at sunrise. Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. February

Anup Shah / Two Masai giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) with necks entwined. Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. December

Andy Rouse / Masai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelski) showing long tongue, captive, Marwell Zoo, UK

Andy Rouse / Two Masai giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) fighting, Masai Mara, Kenya

ZSSD / Rothschild Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi) nuzzling calf, native to Africa

Kim Taylor / Giraffe necked weevil (Trachelophorus giraffa) male, captive, Madagascar

Vincent Grafhorst / Southern Giraffe (Giraffa giraffa) silhouetted against the setting sun, Lethiau Valley, Central Kalahari Game Reserve, Botswana