Do giraffes have vocal chords?

There is a popular myth that these animals are mute. But according to the modern data, they do have well-developed vocal cords. There is even some evidence that they communicate with each other with the help of special vocalizations such as bleating or grunting. Nevertheless, they cannot make any "true" sounds due to the peculiarities of their body structure.

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What are your thoughts on this subject?

73 Comments

Jim Haines

Let's let the giraffe settle this. He needs to speak up.

Burleigh Grimes

Has there ever been a surer bet than someone posting that the answer is wrong in every single quizzclub answer? There will always be people like Jim to post something incredibly stupid like his post above. Always.

Jim Todd

Jim Ploechl even though I don't believe everything I read on the internet I did look it up and guess what! You were wrong and I got my 5 points!

Burleigh Grimes

The best thing about these questions is reading the comments. There's always some moron claiming he was robbed. Here it's Jim Ploechl. Now normally after getting called out for being stupid, the commenter will research the question and discover he's wrong, then disappear. But not Jimmy P... He's doubling down on stupid. I love it! Who cares about facts, Jim, you're on a roll!

Empara Samuda

Well,well,well,.......the debate has started.

Burleigh Grimes

Jim Ploechl You're looking dumber and dumber with every comment.

Lorna Shipton

So Jim, I assume you got it wrong when you posted that they don't have vocal chords. Giraffes DO have vocal chords and exhibit a variety of sounds, including moaning, snoring, hissing and flutelike sounds. A calf bleats or mews to communicate with its mother, while the mother makes a roaring bellow to locate her young. They do have them, but they just don't use them much.

Jim Todd

They have well developed vocal chords. They are just unable to use them.

kite005

Burleigh Grimes That would make a good quiz club question. Something like true or false, people challenge more than 80% of the answers an the website quizclub.

Katherine Walker

Jim Ploechl Mr. Poleshit, open this site and scan down to vocalizations and read, no need to come back and apologize to anyone, we know you are the stupid one. http://library.sandiegozoo.org/factsh.../giraffe/giraffe.htm Oh that is the San Diego Zoo, so they just might be wrong too, huh?

Karen Copus

Cheryl Love ..... RIGHT !!!! They have a voice box but NO vocal cords !!!!!

marilynmitri

Their communication is most likely private .

Orlando Giménez

The conventional explanation was that the long necks of giraffes caused their taciturn nature. Giraffes do have a larynx (voice box)

Cheryl Love

I see there had already been a lot of debate on this question, the correct answer is No, giraffes do not have vocal cords as do most mammals and other animals. They do make sounds comparable to humming, but not from vocal cords; rather from vocal folds found in the larynx.

marian

This supposedly 'correct' answer explanation does NOT confirm that they have vocal chords. They do make noises, but anatomical examination does NOT confirm vocal CORDS though other aspects of larynx including vocal FOLDS are present. It would appear jury is still out on whether they have vocal 'cords', and certainly no evidence whatsoever that those are responsible for giraffe noises. Well, at least it's a question and answer which has generated some research and discussion ;-)

Player

I'll look it up and it said giraffes have no vocal cords they have a voice box but it is too far down the neck to be able to make a sound

Chris Brown

More: Giraffes do have a larynx (voice box), but perhaps they couldn't produce sufficient airflow through their 13-foot-long (4-meter) trachea to vibrate their vocal folds and make noises. The researchers suspected the reason no one heard giraffe communication was because the sound frequency was too low for humans to hear.