This cross-sectional slice of a giraffe femur provides a rare look inside the longest bone of the tallest terrestrial animal on Earth.

Adult giraffes can stand up to 18 feet tall and weigh as much as 3,000 pounds, requiring a skeletal system built for both height and heavy lifting. Each slice reveals the dense cortical bone that gives giraffes the structural strength to support their towering frames.

Some slices retain their internal marrow cavity, while others show a hollow core where marrow once resided. This variation reflects the natural diversity in bone preservation and preparation.

Regardless of interior, each piece showcases the giraffe’s remarkable strength-to-weight engineering, evolved for speed, stability, and access to high tree canopies.

Full bone pictured pre-bonesaw.

All samples are ethically sourced from wild individuals that lived a full natural life. No animals were harmed for the purpose of collection.