Why are giraffes necks so long?
Short answer: because giraffes with long necks have more babies than giraffes with short necks. Longer answer: The long neck and legs of a giraffe have numerous benefits and most likely they are all of the utmost importance to a griaffe in the wild. Giraffes benefit from the numerous pairs of eyes and ears perched atop their lofty heads. Taller males can see farther than females but females benefit from the observations their males make. Taller males reach higher into the forest canopy than females do and thereby reduce competition between males and females for forage. A smaller, lighter-weight female needs less forage for herself but also requires forage for her offspring and the two sets of needs balance themselves out somewhat. Being shorter, the female actually has more resources at her disposal as more plants are within her reach.
