How do giraffes walk?

Giraffes move in a unique, two-beat manner. They begin by moving forward one front leg at a time, followed by the two rear legs. The front feet are always moving, while the back two legs are alternating. This method allows them to reach very high speeds while at the same time maintaining balance. Giraffes can run up to 35 mph for short distances. They have two main gaits: the walk and the gallop. The walk is a slow, steady gait used for covering long distances. The gallop is a faster gait used for short bursts of speed. Giraffes are also able to jump, but they do so only when absolutely necessary.