Yep. That's slobber on my hand.

Giraffes Galore.

In Nairobi I went to The Giraffe Center, the purpose of which is conservation, and education of Kenyan school children about their country's wildlife and environment. It also gives foreigners like me the chance to feed and touch giraffes.

Meet Helen and Kelly.

The staff of the Giraffe Center gave me a handful of pellets--dried vegetable matter bonded together with molasses. Giraffe candy.

I started out feeding them quite tentatively, and gradually grew to appreciate their blue tongues, antiseptic saliva, and cheeky expressions. The trick is to hold the pellets in one hand, while you steal a hug with the other. It's humbling to be so close to such a large, beautiful animal.

I believe they said that this subspecies/species (that is debated) is called the Rothschild Giraffe. It's very endangered, with only a few hundred species in the wild.

I wasn't brave/gross enough to get a giraffe kiss (by holding a pellet between my lips)--at the suggestion of the Giraffe Center's staff . . . but it was really nice to be able to touch their fur and feel the prickly softness of such an amazing animal. I'll leave the giraffe kissing to others :)