Although giraffes look like dinosaurs, they are not related to them. It’s true that giraffes have long necks, just like a Brachiosaurus, but that’s as far as the similarities go. A giraffe is a mammal, and it is more closely related to an antelope or a camel.
Even though they look like dinosaurs, there’s no proof giraffes are related to them. Their long necks result from convergent evolution. Giraffes evolved longer necks to thrive in their habitat.
Are brachiosaurus and giraffes related?
Brachiosaurus was a long-necked reptile; the giraffe is a long-necked mammal. The shared feature is the neck, and the resemblance stops there. Giraffes grow fur, nurse their young with milk, and breathe air. Brachiosauruses were covered in scales, hatched from eggs, and breathed air too.
Though giraffes and brachiosaurus look similar, giraffes are still alive. Brachiosaurus, however, didn’t survive the mass extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs. None of their offspring did, leaving no trace of brachiosaurus today.
Why are giraffes long-necked?
Giraffes’ necks are the product of evolution, though scientists disagree on which pressure mattered most. One idea is that the long neck lets them browse leaves high in trees that shorter herbivores can’t reach. A second view is that it helps them watch for predators across open country. A third points to their long legs, with the neck giving them enough reach to drink at ground level.
