Giraffe Brain, 2

While visiting the ‘‘Living Desert’ in Southern California with my cousin, I was able to get quite close to these giants. It was great fun to get to feed one of them, an 18 foot (6 meters) tall male. His legs were so long I could have walked underneath his belly with a foot to spare. Standing on a platform some 12-13 feet above the ground, he was still a head or more taller. He loved carrot stick, and if I didn’t pony up one promptly enough, it nuzzled my neck (the giraffe, not the carrot stick). Its hair and whiskers are unbelievably soft. It would stick out its long purple, prehensile tongue that can grow up to 21 inches long, trying to reach a carrot stick. Its tongue felt like delicate sandpaper and made me laugh. If your niece like giraffes, she might enjoy this park. I certainly did. More tomorrow.