Why do giraffes have long necks?

This is because many years ago a giraffe got his head stuck in a hole in the ground.  He pulled and pulled and eventually managed to pop his head back out.  Unfortunately, all that pulling had lengthened his neck – something that he passed on to all his children.  Honestly?  Is it because it helps them reach the long leaves at the top of the trees on which they graze? That is probably wrong as well.  Giraffes mostly feed below their head line and in dry seasons they feed amongst the undergrowth.Yet with that long neck and legs that seem to go on forever, it's always surprising we don't see this more often...


So why the big long neck?  Is it to see lions at a distance?  Unlikely!  The biggest theory here is that it boils down to the one thing to which so much boils down: sex.  Male giraffes use their necks when they go in to combat against each other in the mating season.  Before a scrap they point upwards with their noses, as if to show that they are taller than the opponent. If this doesn’t work then it’s war! When they actually fight they use their neck like a hammer, slamming it down on their foe.  The one with the longer, heavier neck wins – and gets the girl. So the trait is passed on to the next generation.