Two bull giraffes engage in some serious play fighting at Bioparc Zoo de Doué la Fontaine

The blows with head and neck that especially the younger bull giraffe deliver are quite vigorous. These movements resemble that of a fight, but apparently* can be regarded as play fighting, because the blows are not as powerful and as fast as in a fight. You see both ‘fighters’ lean against each other with their hindquarters to increase stability at some moments. * Behavioural inventory of the giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) by Peter Seeber, Isabelle Ciofolo and André Ganswindt, 2012.