Why do giraffes have long necks?

Giraffes have long necks so they reach high leaves. They munch up in trees. Their heads go way, way up. Baby giraffes grow tall too.

Long ago, giraffes with a bit longer necks could eat leaves other animals could not reach. They stayed fed and had babies, so long necks became common. It is like being tall enough to reach a snack on a high shelf. A long neck also helps giraffes look around.

Giraffes have long necks because of evolution, the slow way living things change over many, many generations. A neck length is a trait, a body feature passed from parents to babies. Giraffes with longer necks could reach high leaves, find food in dry times, and sometimes do better at having babies. Over time, natural selection made long necks common. Fun fact: giraffes have seven neck bones, just like humans, but theirs are huge.