Giraffe Sounds:

September 11, 2015 11:07 AM

The latest research on giraffe sounds... This was some fairly interesting reading. I have personally heard a giraffe make the sound described as a 'burst'. I have had a giraffe snort at me. I also have heard a sort of whiffling sound not described in this article. Take a listen.. it's pretty cool
posted by Katjusa Roquette (19 comments total)

Everything I know about giraffe sounds I learned at the Festival of the Lion King.
posted by He Is Only The Imposter at 11:11 AM on September 11, 2015 [1 favorite]

When you have such fantastic eyelashes to bat, you don't need words.
posted by giraffe at 11:24 AM on September 11, 2015 [7 favorites]

Learning animal noises is the foundation of human education
posted by thelonius at 11:34 AM on September 11, 2015 [2 favorites]

That humming: what a sound! Marvelous. The reverb of their enclosures adds a nice effect.
posted by mykescipark at 11:36 AM on September 11, 2015 [2 favorites]

Raise your hand if you knew that a giraffe tongue is black by watching that episode of Salute Your Shorts.
posted by dr_dank at 11:56 AM on September 11, 2015 [1 favorite]

That "what does the fox say" song has ruined me for these sorts of things
posted by cubby at 12:02 PM on September 11, 2015 [1 favorite]

The giraffe doesn't say. It hums!
posted by immlass at 12:30 PM on September 11, 2015

I really wonder whether those giraffes are making that hum breathing in or breathing out.

I think there are good theoretical reasons for thinking giraffes might want to take longer breathing in than breathing out, and not want to restrict airflow going out the way we do when we're vocalizing (the Scandinavian 'ja' is an interesting exception).

I tried humming breathing in and I could do it, but it sounded weird, high pitched and kind of agonized, and did not resonate in my head at all, but I have a tiny little piece of tubing between vocal cords and lungs compared to the organ pipes giraffes must have.
posted by jamjam at 1:18 PM on September 11, 2015 [1 favorite]

Next, tell us what camels are saying.
posted by filthy light thief at 1:19 PM on September 11, 2015

These sounds are not for you, o seeker of knowledge. Your ears may not take them

Activate quicktime? Not today, and not tomorrow.
posted by the uncomplicated soups of my childhood at 2:29 PM on September 11, 2015

True fact: I was licked by one once. At a zoo. I was on an elevated walkway in their barn, because it was near closing time and they were brought inside. Out of nowhere it bent forward and gave me a "kiss".

As special as the time a hummingbird flew in front of my nose and stared me in the eyes for two seconds.

Really, I know these don't sound amazing, but... they are amazing moments when they happen.
posted by IAmBroom at 3:00 PM on September 11, 2015 [6 favorites]

Off to work on my "burst" sounds. My toddler wants to know what all the animals say and I was always stumped (until now!) when we came to the giraffe pictures in her books.
posted by medeine at 4:22 PM on September 11, 2015 [2 favorites]

That hum sounds like one giraffes way of telling another "I have gas"
jamjam
I have about 3/4 of my exhaling hum range while inhaling. Toward the much lower end of the spectrum.
posted by shenkerism at 4:28 PM on September 11, 2015

You just know there are a handful of zookeepers on some dusty listserv saying "Duh! I could have told that."
posted by [insert clever name here] at 5:55 PM on September 11, 2015 [2 favorites]

Man, I've never once had a giraffe snort at me. *kicks dirt*
posted by goatdog at 6:46 PM on September 11, 2015 [2 favorites]

I made friends with a cow giraffe at the zoo. She used to snort at me and sometimes lick me. I'd go visit with her very early in the day before all the really noisy people showed up. Later, I got married and moved out of town. Came back to visit, she showed me her calf and I showed her my kids. She licked all of us. My son has vague memories of this. Giraffe saliva is antiseptic. The main thing wild giraffe eat is acacia trees, which have nasty thorns the size of darning needles. They use their tongues to get at the leaves.
I think the whiffling noise was a greeting. I could be wrong.
Giraffes amaze me. They are very little researched for such big animals.
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 2:13 AM on September 12, 2015 [3 favorites]

When I was a child, we were taught that the giraffe makes a silent "h" sound. I suppose, like nine planets, hearing aids that hang around the neck, and Eisenhower Republicans, that that's not a thing any more.

I wish there was a newsletter or whatchamacallit home page to tell me when things weren't things any more.
posted by xigxag at 2:26 AM on September 12, 2015 [1 favorite]

Katjusa Roquette: She licked all of us.

You just had to upstage me, didn't you? Couldn't let me have my one little moment of intimacy, without going all, "Yo, giraffes and I make out all the time."

It's all I had. And you had to take it away from me. You and your acacia-scented, giraffe-loving family.
posted by IAmBroom at 6:21 PM on September 14, 2015 [1 favorite]

The giraffe humming story has gone viral. :)
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 8:51 PM on September 19, 2015 [1 favorite]