giraffes
Open main menu Search Giraffe Language Watch Edit For other uses, see Giraffe (disambiguation) . The giraffe ( Giraffa ) is an African artiodactyl mammal , the tallest living terrestrial animal and the largest ruminant . It is traditionally considered to be one species , Giraffa camelopardalis , with nine subspecies . However, the existence of up to eight extant giraffe species has been described, based upon research into the mitochondrial and nuclear DNA , as well as morphological measurements of Giraffa . Seven other species are extinct, prehistoric species known from fossils. Giraffe Temporal range: 11.61–0 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Miocene to Recent Masai giraffe ( G. c. tippelskirchi ) at the Mikumi National Park , Tanzania Conservation status Vulnerable ( IUCN 3.1 ) [1] Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Artiodactyla Family: Giraffidae Genus: Giraffa Brisson , 1772 Type species Giraffa camelopardalis L