For most young people, the giraffe is one of the most
intriguing and exotic of all animals. It is so unusual, and
in such contrast to other animals, that students typically
are more fascinated with it than many of the other equally
amazing animals. In fact, the word giraffe is derived from
the Arabic zerafa, a phonetic variant of zarafa, meaning
‘charming’ or ‘lovely one’.16 As one author stated, viewing
a giraffe is one of humankind’s greatest visual experiences.
Unfortunately, their present-day range is limited to
the dry savannas and semi-desert areas of Africa south of
the Sahara.17