The most striking feature of the giraffe is its very long neck which gives this animal a lofty view of the world around it. Such a long neck has both its advantages and disadvantages. The advantages are that the giraffe can feed on the tasty, tender leaves which grow high up on the trees where no other animal can reach them. The long neck is also useful because the giraffe can look out over the savanna and see any danger from afar. One disadvantage is the difficulty the giraffe has in touching the ground with its head; every time it drinks it has to spread out its front legs in a rather awkward manner to bend down.