Giraffes are the world's tallest animals with unique physiological and social requirements. Their welfare in zoos involves specialised nutrition, herd management and significant transport risks.
Giraffe welfare in zoos presents unique challenges stemming from their extraordinary biology. Their height requires specialised exhibit design — browse must be accessible at appropriate heights, and overhead structures must accommodate their full stature. The cardiovascular system that keeps blood flowing to a brain 2 metres above the heart requires careful management when animals are anesthetised or transported: positional hypotension can be rapidly fatal. Social management should accommodate their natural fission-fusion grouping style. Foot care on appropriate natural substrates prevents the chronic foot problems common in animals on hard floors. Transportation events are among the highest-risk welfare moments for captive giraffes, requiring expert planning and veterinary oversight.