Do Giraffe hunt in packs?

Since I've been guiding I've been asked this same question 3 times before and by 3 different people. The first time I was asked, I thought it was just a funny question, but after been asked for a third time I started to wonder why I keep getting the same question all the time.

Well. I found out why.

It all began a few years ago when a group of tourists out on a game drive with their game ranger came upon a dead Impala up in a tree. It was the kill from a Leopard and the Leopard had hung it there, which they often do.
There was no Leopard to be seen, so the Ranger told the guests as a joke that it was a Giraffe that had hung the Impala in the tree.

You see, Giraffe don't eat leaves as everyone else thinks, instead thay are vicious carnivores hunting as a team and once they catch their prey, they hold it by the head in their mouths and beat it against the trees and the ground until dead. They then hang the prey up in a tree to keep it away from the Hyenas and Jackals so they can feed on it at leisure. (This is obviously not true)

This story spread like fire, leading many other people to believe it. It got so out of hand that many other guides were telling the same story when they came across abandoned Leopard kills. The Head-Ranger of the game reserve, where it all started eventually had to tell all the rangers to stop telling the silly story.

So now you know.

1 comment:

Ailurophile said...

He he funny story - hunting giraffes! And the tourists bought it!