Giraffes have black tongues for sun protection

Giraffes have strikingly black or dark purple tongues, an amazing adaptation that acts as natural sunscreen. These majestic animals spend hours reaching for acacia leaves high in the African savanna, exposing their 18-inch tongues to the intense equatorial sun. The dark color comes from melanin, the same pigment that protects human skin, shielding them from harmful UV rays that could cause severe burns or even cancer.