There are some icons that are recognisable throughout the world, a brand that you would know where ever you saw it. Africa has a few of those too- elephants, lions, rhino, zebra, to name just a few. And in the years that I have been guiding in the African bush, I have noticed that one animal in particular has missed the shine a little. As guests arrive I try to get as much information out of them as possible as we drive to the lodge, so I know what kind of experience they are hoping to have while on safari. There are those who want to see the Big 5, those who are just looking to escape the hustle and bustle of city stresses, those who are avid birders, and those who simply weep at the sign of an impala. As I have spent more time with people asking about their experiences I have learned that one animal almost everyone is very excited to see, is the giraffe.
Often overlooked (not physically) in the bush as people sometimes race from one Big5 sighting to the next, this gracious giant of the African Savannah is really something special. The tallest land mammal in the world, and so uniquely equipped to deal with it's surroundings, the giraffe is a marvel of nature. Everyone recognises it, and even the lions have a very healthy respect for them.
So next time you grab a universal icon, like a coke, or McDonald's, remember the African legend, standing taller than the trees. He has been around long before Henry Ford revolutionised the motoring world, or even before Pythagoras touched his first abacus. And hopefully, will still be around for many, many years to come.
