How can giraffes have the same number of bones in its neck as humans?

4. Giraffes have the same number of neck bones as humans. Both giraffes and humans have seven neck vertebrae. The difference, however, is that each giraffe bone can be over 10 inches long.

Why are giraffes necks so flexible?

Certain characteristics of giraffe necks give them a flexibility rivaling any Slinky. The first feature is the way that the vertebrae in the neck, called the cervical vertebrae, are joined together. Remember that giraffes have seven of these bones, just like we do.

What animal has the same number of bones as humans in the neck?

giraffe
A giraffe has the same number of neck vertebrae as a human, mouse, elephant, or armadillo; all have exactly seven. Sloths are an exception, with up to 10 vertebrae in their neck.

Why does a giraffe have a long neck answer?

It appears obvious: the giraffe’s neck, which can grow to as much as two metres in length, has been selected because it gives its owner exclusive access to the topmost leaves of the trees, and no other animal can reach them. This, then, is an adaptation designed to avoid competition for food with other animals.

Do giraffes have 7 neck bones?

Even though the neck of a giraffe can be eight feet long and weigh up to 600 pounds, they only have seven neck vertebrae – the same number of neck bones that humans have! But unlike our vertebrae, each of theirs can be up to 10 inches long. Their long necks also help them spot distant predators.

How flexible are giraffe necks?

In fact, each giraffe neck vertebra may be as long as 10 inches (25 centimeters) [source: San Diego Zoo]. As you can guess, that doesn’t exactly make for a light load to tote. Stack up those seven blocks of bone and toss on a head, and we’re talking around 600 pounds (272 kilograms) of cargo [source: San Diego Zoo].

How many neck bones does a giraffe have?

seven
Despite its elongated form, the neck of a giraffe is made up of just seven large bones known as cervical vertebrae.

Do humans have bones in their neck?

These are the seven bones of the neck, called the cervical vertebra. The top bone, seen on the right of this picture, is called the atlas, and is where the head attaches to the neck. The second bone is called the axis, upon which the head and atlas rotate.