Giraffes are the tallest terrestrial animals and highly specialised browser whose welfare in captivity requires elevated feeding stations, natural browse provision, appropriate social groupings, and enough space to express their unique movement patterns.
Giraffe welfare in captivity hinges on two fundamentals: appropriate feeding height and adequate space. Giraffes are anatomically and behaviourally adapted for high browsing — they spend most of their waking hours reaching upward for food. Facilities that feed giraffes at ground level or deny them natural browse deprive them of a core behavioural need and may cause physical harm through repeated abnormal posture. Equally, the giraffe's unique gallop and sustained trot require substantial space; confinement to small yards prevents the movement patterns that maintain musculoskeletal health. High-welfare giraffe facilities invest in tall feeding structures, rotating browse provision, and large yards that allow natural movement between feeding stations.