I know giraffes look seemingly ungainly and can often be the butt of bad jokes, but I’ve always thought of them as beautiful, majestic, and elegant creatures to observe. Giraffes are the world’s tallest mammals thanks to their towering legs and long necks, although hard to believe they can run at speeds of up to 35 mph over short distances.

But personally, for me I can’t help but fall in love with their incredibly curious nature, mesmerising eyes, and eyelashes but above all they make me smile. This particular image was taken from pretty close proximity and on reflection I’d like to think she is smiling at me when in reality she’s just eating a few leaves from her favourite acacia trees.

Mara North Conservancy 2019