Reticulated Giraffe

Open encyclopedia reference

The reticulated giraffe (Giraffa reticulata) also known as the Somali giraffe is a species of giraffe native to the Horn of Africa. It is differentiated from the other giraffe species by its coat, which consists of large, polygonal (or squared), block-like spots, which extend onto the lower legs, tail and face. These prominent liver-red spots also show much less white between them, when compared to other giraffe species. With up to 6 meters in height, the reticulated giraffe is the largest species of giraffe and the tallest land animal in general. While the reticulated giraffe may yet still be found in parts of its historic range, such as areas of Somalia and Ethiopia, its population stronghold is primarily within Kenya. There are approximately 8,500 individuals living in the wild. In both captivity and the wild, as of 2024 there are 15,785 individuals across the world. Reticulated giraffes can interbreed with other giraffe species in captivity, or if they come into contact with other species of giraffe in the wild, such as the Masai giraffe (G. tippelskirchii).

Wikipedia contributors, Reticulated giraffe; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T07:36:14.663516+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.

Identity & source status

Scientific name

Giraffa reticulata de Winton, 1899

Name authority

de Winton, 1899

Common name

Reticulated Giraffe

Rank

species

Accepted status

accepted

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Mammalia

Order

Artiodactyla

Family

Giraffidae

Genus

Giraffa

Extinction status

Recorded extant

Classification family tree

Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.

1. domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
2. kingdomAnimalia
3. phylumChordata
4. subphylumVertebrata
5. infraphylumGnathostomata
6. parvphylumOsteichthyes
7. megaclassTetrapoda
8. classMammalia Linnaeus, 1758
9. subclassTheria Parker & Haswell, 1897
10. infraclassEutheria Gill, 1872
11. orderArtiodactyla Owen, 1848
12. familyGiraffidae Gray, 1821
13. genusGiraffa Brisson, 1762
14. speciesGiraffa reticulata de Winton, 1899

Close classified relatives

These entries share the source’s genus, Giraffa. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.

Browse 5 records assigned to Giraffidae.

Names & synonyms

Names explicitly linked to this accepted taxon in the source. Synonymy can change with revision.

Documented distribution

Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.

Source literature & publication evidence

References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.

1. https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=1012248 Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references

Origins, evidence & remaining research

Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.

Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.

Dataset citation & attribution

This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11

Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.

Stable key: col:3G3KQ. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.