When protected, giraffes can flourish in areas where food is abundant year round. Although they drink water when it's available, they can survive where it is scarce. They occasionally eat grass and fruits of various trees and shrubs, but their principal food source is the acacia tree.
The tree's sharp horns do not seem to stop the giraffe, which has a long, muscular tongue specially adapted to select, gather and pluck foliage. The giraffe is a selective feeder and although it feeds 16 to 20 hours a day, it may consume only about 65 pounds of foliage during that time. It can maintain itself on as little as 15 pounds of foliage per day.
Giraffes prefer the soft top leaves of the acacia tree. However, they will also eat evergreens, thorny bushes and shrubs when fresh leaves are not available and during drought seasons. When food is readily available, a giraffe can consume up to 140 lbs. of foliage a day. Furthermore, the San Diego Zoo reports that wild giraffes generally do not compete with livestock, such as sheep and cattle, for food and rarely are seen as a threat to farmers' crops.
-Giraffes can go for days without water. 
In order to drink water, the giraffe has to spread its front legs and bend its long neck to the water.
-This is a dangerous position for the giraffe since it can't see its enemies and can't get a fast start running