See How Denver Zoo’s Giraffes React to LIVE Music from the Colorado Symphony

Who says giraffes can’t dance? When the Colorado Symphony and Denver Zoo hatched a wild plan to do something special for the animals, we had no idea what to expect ... but if anything, the results proved that music is indeed a universal language.
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[@johnconlon4020]

Playing to a high profile captive audience.

[@ForestEdgeGardens]

This deserves way more acknowledgement than it has gotten so far lol. Brilliant.

[@afterthestorm7012]

@@ForestEdgeGardens I agree lol

[@justanotherperson584]

High profile……that’s funny!

[@EyesHoleMedia]

Perfection.

[@madyjules06]

lol!! 😊

[@tiredofallthis7716]

First of all, bravo. Second, I’m not surprised the giraffes liked it. Humans have spent thousands of years perfecting our abilities to play because it moves us. No reason to believe that many other creatures wouldn’t feel the same way.

[@keepinmahprivacy9754]

Well, it's not something to take for granted. A lot of animals won't respond to music at all, some because we make music normally that isn't in their primary hearing range (like dogs will tend to ignore music except when played at the higher end of our human hearing, like the top octave of the piano). Other animals can hear the music perfectly well in their range of hearing, but just don't seem to care, maybe because their brains just filter it out as "background noise". For example, even though birds seem "musical" in their language, they don't tend to pay much attention to human music except for some of the birds who are good at mimicry, so they may just hear our "music" as just another "animal call". But... at the same time many basic elements of music are universal; we can say that they were discovered by humans rather than invented, since they are based on principles of mathematics and physics that we didn't design. So when animals do respond to music, it's probably those universal elements that their brains react to in just the same way that we do.

[@snorgviggle5852]

Cows are notoriously fond of music. Elephants, too, if the flapping of ears in response to hearing a piano reduction of a Beethoven symphony.

[@aadi2456]

From the sounds of the jungles to human sounds. In their monotonous world of limited activity & no sounds of other animal & birds going abt their daily life , any thing different would be a welcome change for them

[@lilithsmith1290]

@@keepinmahprivacy9754 .Thank you for information ,

[@rachelsabrinacajuste5869]

Bravo! Is true🙏

[@pissedoffbeanaibi3675]

Most animals who never heard music react positively. Music is the world's language. 🎶

[@tncorgi92]

Well, in people it can help lessen stress and is stimulating to the brain, if it does that for animals no wonder they're happy.

[@truthbebold4009]

Part of the Creator's design 🙏

[@theresakruse1655]

Music is vibration. Vibration is energy. Energy is the only 'thing' that actually exists. Therefore, music IS the universal language.

[@ashleyklotz3762]

They actually play music at the Denver Zoo a lot but I've never seen or heard of them doing this so this is pretty cool

[@psilocylence]

A universal language* :)

[@zebra3stripes]

The order of neck length, from shortest to longest, is violin, viola, cello, audience members.

[@Erizedd]

Cute! lol

[@bleeka325]

This is the best comment !

[@TheFubar747]

Highly underrated comment.

[@donnanichols6838]

Well said!!!

[@scottcupp8129]

Yes indeed.

[@Saturnfart]

I wish giraffes in zoos were given a place to run. They are so beautifully elegant when running.

[@SunnyAquamarine2]

I wish they had the funding to make that happen. Obviously animals that large would require a crazy amount of land. In the middle of Denver, Colorado? I don't doubt the price tag would be in the hundreds of millions. At least they're not being hunted or dying from climate change and urban sprawl.

[@aadi2456]

@@SunnyAquamarine2 Death surely should be better than a life time in captivity .

[@SunnyAquamarine2]

@@aadi2456 don't be naive lol we're all right there with them number one and number two then why don't you go kill them? I double dog dare ya.

[@pekarr1]

@@SunnyAquamarine2 dude... if you dont have money to make a propper environment for guge animals then dont fucking buy them... just close the zoo's .. yes they have better chance to live in peace wirhout stress but look at human zoos in history.. those people were safe but not happy..

[@rossclark9155]

@@SunnyAquamarine2 the San Diego Wild Animal Park has a reverse set up. Animals have acres to roam while people are kept at a distance.

[@gayedawn1]

It reminded me of a children’s book “YES, GIRAFFES CAN DANCE”.

[@lolz9449]

For those that don't know, the last piece that was played is called 'A Walk in the Woods', which is part of a set of four movements called 'On Vacation'. It is written in 2003 for String Quartet by Shao Ying Low, who seems to be quite the underrated composer. You're welcome.

[@cecileroy557]

Thank you!!!

[@Mortthemoose]

Thanks. I was wondering what it was....it was beautiful

[@whosonfirst1309]

Thank you, that was cool.

[@lukeyznaga7627]

Thank you for that! That's important. Many times quartets and pieces like that are forgotten or are underrated

[@throughthoroughthought8064]

it was okay

[@rebeccaredletter]

Watching musicians is a common occurrence, but watching giraffes respond to live music is an uncommon delight. I would like to see another video like this that shows the giraffes the entire length of the video.

[@birbluv9595]

Just what I was thinking. No little clips, no interviews, just the musicians and the giraffes uninterrupted.

[@jenniferhaas3874]

And a video showing different species reacting to the live music! That would be really interesting!

[@woodbooger777]

I would go to the zoo more often if they had live musicians.

[@LCERRP]

I agree

[@janetownley]

And more often to concerts if they had live giraffes

[@earthlingjohn]

@@janetownley 😁👍

[@angelalewis3645]

Same!

[@SuperBustyEva]

This is proof that music transcends boundaries on all fronts.

[@treering8228]

I was so happy to see this! There cannot be a much more boring place for giraffe! Thank you for livening things up a bit!

[@DG-de1qy]

Their enclosure is pitiful. I sure hope they have a large Savannah type area for them to roam.

[@MJ-zc1ln]

They kind of have some room for them to roam but nothing like the wild. I wish zoos would be banned or made into wildfire sanctuaries

[@Lycan_24_7]

I identify as a giraffe, bravo

[@verasaucedo8876]

Wonderful, our creatures love music !!!

[@meganhoward8820]

They looked like they were dancing. So cute

[@CosmicSphinx]

It's truly in my humble opinion that all zoos , animal sanctuaries etc. Should have outdoor speakers for all the animal enclosures to be play all kinds of beautiful, peaceful and gently stimulating music for them. My dog has been played music since she was a rescue baby, and she absolutely thrives and loves being lulled by all the music we ensure to play for her!

[@debrahelicke7204]

But not all day. Quiet time also needed

[@leewhite-graham753]

Giraffe: Oooo look, dinner and a show!

[@bombasticbushkin4985]

Some things in life are just too beautiful for words.

[@kellymarie6031]

It's nice to see everybody involved in enriching the lives of the animals. Music does amazing things across the board!!

[@asmodeus1274]

Across the universe...

[@JonSmith-cx7gr]

Enriching the lives of animals!! A string quartet 'enriching the lives' of animals in a zoo! Perhaps next week we can take them to the opera? Or a nice expensive restaurant might enrich their lives even more? Its on daddy's card! Some Beluga caviar, some fois gras and a bottle of Chablis perchance? Then a trip in a terribly expensive German car to a private viewing of a classic Bergman movie? Or perhaps Fellini would enrich them more? Then some cocaine - nice cocaine I mean - bought from a white chap from a well to do family - his father is a merchant banker you know. Big in the city. Then, a short getaway. Some skiing perhaps. Or perhaps golf would enrich them more? Ahhhhh, enriching animals lives is just such a passion of mine you know. When one is brought up in the right way, one instinctively understands how to enrich the lives of animals. If only poor people or people in war zones or those unfortunates with disease could also experience a string quartet, I cannot help but feel that their lives too might be enriched in some small way.

[@lukeyznaga7627]

It's good to know that people are recognizing that animals enjoy music...the soft kind not the loud vulgar kind

[@HumanBeing1974]

This would be Awesome on a weekly basis for all zoo animals to enjoy something truly wonderful in their lives and for the musicians to be able to help the animals have joy in their lives. Everyone getting Blessings!

[@dincanforbes1230]

I hope this video and the man who plays piano for a blind elephant start a new trend musicians playing bach or Mozart for all enclosed animals

[@lukeyznaga7627]

Adawehi, I agree

[@kfl611]

The giraffes must get bored, so this must be fun for them, I like how they wiggled their ears, so cute.

[@silviavoss6411]

Clearly the Giraffes loved the in person symphony, they had pep in their step!

[@Chrisbajs]

The world consists of space and time. Figurative art, like paintings, decorates space. Music decorates time.

[@christopherlewis1315]

Those giraffes are thinking, "that's a weird mating call!"

[@waterbird91]

My cats are attracted to the high notes when I play the piano All .animals like music. Zoos should play music for the animals on a regular basis.

[@thescientistschurch]

We won't admit animals are sentient because of how we treat them!

[@dontnoable]

We should be declaring sapiance of non human animals. Sentience is beyond obvious.

[@yuujinner5801]

Most animals have sentience to an extent. Sentience for animals basically means that they are aware of what is happening around them, at least things that are familiar to them. However, sapience is different. The only animal alive outside of humans I would consider sapient is dolphins. They have their own language, culture, and stuff. But yeah maybe they should have rights or smth

[@dontnoable]

For non clickers of links reading along, the subhead line of that 2014 article: "An orangutan named Sandra has become the first non-human animal recognized as a person in a court of law. An Argentine appeals court declared on Friday that the 28-year-old great ape, who is owned by the Buenos Aires Zoo, is a "non-human person" who has been wrongfully deprived of her freedom."

[@dontnoable]

I think we can agree non human animals have the capacity to suffer, to feel grief, loss and pain, like we do. On that basis alone, we should not exploit them.

[@dontnoable]

Arguments about how intelligent non human animals are is a wrong track. No doubt they are intelligent, but recent history shows there have been some awful things justified by trying to determine intelligence or lack thereof, or ability or awareness. For example what happened to disabled people (while it's still not good enough now) even a few decades ago is horrifying. How we treat non human animals I think should be on the basis that because they have a capacity to suffer (and several undercover video investigations into present day "high welfare" farms will show they do). This is why you will see people go vegan 🌱 when they see videos of a farmed non human animal fighting to escape when it realises something bad is going to happen to it (e.g. It heard its friends' piercing screams ahead of it in the slaughterhouse). Seeing that the pig didn't want to die.

[@viewercjg]

Beautiful, reminds me of one time years ago when I was playing my viola next to the bird cage. I looked up at one point to see him leaning over concentrating on what I was playing -- best audience I ever had!

[@anti-ethniccleansing465]

I myself have a small parrot of 30 years, and I am *constantly* playing my digital library of music for him. It’s mostly when I leave the house so he’s not sitting around bored in silence (because when I’m home, he’s hearing the KZbin videos and such that I watch in my bedroom with him). But plenty of times I play the music for both of us and he has fun dancing to the music with me. He _LOVES_ music, and even has favorite artists/songs (in fact, I’ve never seen a bird that doesn’t like music!).

[@anti-ethniccleansing465]

P.S. You’d love a KZbin channel called “Griffi the dancing...” - that bird can really _DANCE!_ Birds have fantastic skills dancing right to the beat of the music. :) Side note: This really unbelievable... this is the third time now that I’m attempting to post this comment of mine, because YT keeps auto-wiping it. Their cen.sorship aIgorithm has gotten completely out of controI! They are obviously auto-wiping it because I originally wrote the full title of the YT channel name (instead of ending it with “...”). The last word that was in the channel name is the name of the specific type of parrot Griffi is, which includes a word that can be used to describe a man’s private member, or it can be used to refer to a maIe chicken. I don’t know if they are cen.soring the word now anytime anyone uses it, or if it was just due to the context where I mention the _BEAT_ (of the music). Sigh... Anyways, also look up on YT the name of the same kind of parrot that Griffi is, but instead of writing “Griffi dancing” as the other two search terms, change the name of the bird to “Snowball.” Snowball is mind-blowing with dancing! Scientists have even studied him. He’s got so many moves and is sooo great with timing! Enjoy! ᴬˡˡ ˢᵖᵉˡˡⁱⁿᵍ & grammar ᵉʳʳᵒʳˢ ᵃʳᵉ ⁱⁿᵗᵉⁿᵗⁱᵒⁿᵃˡ ᵗᵒ ᵃᵛᵒⁱᵈ ᵁᵗᵒᵒᵇ ᶜᵉⁿˢᵒʳˢʰⁱᵖ.

[@angelalewis3645]

❤

[@jeanninewaken7147]

Thank you! We underestimate the affect of quality music on species other than human. So nice to experience your kindness.

[@weaselworm8681]

Do it again. It wouldn’t be fair to expose them only once. Imagine if you had only been allowed to experience chocolate once.

[@martyhayes5070]

I would be a lot lighter!

[@rainbowmaneunicorn7338]

Musicians, and giraffes, have the most beautiful spirits... so elegant and refined.

[@kaystar3434]

That one giraffe looking like, "Oh lord, what these crazy humans getting ready to do now?"

[@tammiea8552]

Not having any visitors in the zoo's probably had an affect on the animals too. The only people they were in contact with were the caretakers. How awesome is this!

[@JMarieCAlove]

This is recorded in 2019, and you can see in the background, there are visitors there.

[@tammiea8552]

@@JMarieCAlove so?

[@BACNandEGGS]

@@tammiea8552 she literally told you everything you need to realize you're wrong and you say "so?" ahahahaha how low IQ. Your comment is obviously about covid shutting everything down but alas covid was not in 2019.... XD it's ok to be wrong but pretending ur still correct is hilarious to anyone with a brain

[@markfox1545]

@@BACNandEGGS - 'literally told'? So...told, you mean. If you feel the need to erroneously add the word literally to add emphasis to what you say because you feel what you're saying is dull and worthless you should trust your feelings and just not say it. Adding literally merely emphasises your ignorance.

[@donshields2379]

@@markfox1545 I guess he could have said figuratively and been wrong.

[@UnderTheMillkyWay]

Get bouncy! I love that reaction. Dottie is a dancer.

[@Kimberley42]

Considering the size of the enclosure, of course they're going to react to outside enrichment.

[@extraincomesuz]

It's been more than 10 years since I've seen the Denver Symphony in person. I was thrilled to see this video! I'm glad the giraffe enjoyed it!

[@CMC333]

Bless you all for giving these Beautiful Creatures the Gift of your Amazing Music!!I👏 😍 Music is Absolutely the Universal Language-💝🎶

[@charliealexander2205]

symphony needs to partner MORE with all zoos. THANK YAWWWWL!!!!!

[@nelsaf365]

I enjoyed seeing the adults feed the giraffe and touch him. They appeared as children again. Beautiful idea, thank you!❤

[@randygunn9499]

Seems like they enjoyed the music,the one looked like he was gonna start dancing!!They do play beautifully.

[@annamarielewis7078]

I love that the musicians dressed up like they would for an indoor concert.💝

[@joannekroschel3799]

Giraffes are one of my favorite animals it was interesting to see how they reacted to the music how awesome

[@katyp.2495]

Giraffes are very inquisitive creatures, so much so that when I was a teenager at a zoo I was visiting, one leaned over the fence and scooped up the iced bun 🍩 I was eating 😲.

[@gailbishop497]

What a wonderful way to interact with animals, it was breathtaking !

[@brighteyes6585]

It's so fun and amazing to see animals dancing when they feel like it, not for a trick but actually responding to something they enjoy.

[@robertgross578]

Their favorite note is high-C.

[@gracet7159]

Lol

[@Brittunculi]

Playing music to animals is one of the golden keys to our existence,a wonderful gift we have.😘

[@joelspringman7748]

He's like, "Free Bird! Free Bird!"

[@buffycleaveland8116]

Pull out some classic rock! We want another one!

[@brendabilotti1912]

🤣🤣

[@elizabethwoolley4986]

Magnificent sentient telepathic wild beings, confined in cages, why wouldn't they love sacred music? Is this truly beyond human comprehension that animals share emotions and know unconditional love ? 😢

[@lynnclark4208]

Thank you, ought to be a regular thing for these pretties. 🤗. Warms my ❤️.

[@patsyspry6248]

GIRAFFES are such wonderful creatures! They seen to be enjoying the company as well as the music!!💓💓

[@tammiea8552]

Anyone who goes to Africa and pays to go on these exotic hunting to take the lives of these majestic endangered animals and others, just sickens me.

[@jendubay3782]

...but the animals are set to be culled for health reasons anyway, and the money they make from those hunts pays for a huge chunk of the conservation efforts...

[@tabby5228]

@Jen DuBay got proof?

[@jendubay3782]

@@tabby5228 basic google searches? And the one time someone *didn’t* follow those rules it got splashed all over the national news?

[@jonathanbethards3689]

@@tabby5228 google is your friend

[@alvexok5523]

@@jendubay3782 it's well known now that there are many websites that don't contain the most accurate information

[@Thoralmir]

Play the Toy-R-Us theme and see if that gets a reaction! :P

[@RightNowMan]

🤣

[@blueeyes6852]

Fantastic!!! BRAVO BRAVO BRAVO!!! 🍃🥀 What a wonderful treat for these majestic animals. Thank you all❣

[@bluefluke7585]

Awesome. People who don't know just how intelligent and curious animals are must see these beautiful and inspiring moments.

[@curthalldorson3802]

Great stimulation for the animals thank you Symphony.

[@valeriewilliams7104]

Beautiful music all creatures need. Thank you for video.

[@johnnyquest6115]

Hello, I'm one of the giraffes in the video and I was hoping the musicians would play some Beethoven but they didn't. So the next time they show up I'm going to be spitting on the floor just like Beethoven did when composing his music on the piano and see if they get the message.

[@Creative-Chaos]

This was a delight to watch. I’ve watched a man who plays piano for elephants before, but never saw anyone playing for the giraffes. Wonderful!

[@royschmidt675]

Just wonderful as beautiful interaction. Peace and Love ❤️

[@nalodailec]

The power of music is awesome.

[@alisonschmitt9533]

Their enclosure is so sterile and barren 😢 I’m glad they got some pleasure from the music, they need all the enrichment they can get.

[@ericbrett3095]

I personally believe it was the combination of the wonderful music and the joy of the giraffes that brought tears to my eyes.

[@lildebboston455]

This is so cute & heartwarming...

[@mxfxdlg]

Two of my favorite life forces. Majestic creatures, and music. So beautiful.

[@christinamarie3598]

They seem so fluid and graceful... classical and giraffe...great mix!

[@judithhathcock2026]

Beautiful to treat them to such music and enhance their quality of life!!

[@Petra44YT]

That's a cool idea! I think the enclosure of the giraffes is too small and too barren, though.

[@prischm5462]

Who could possibly dislike this? It's beautiful.

[@dad4ever-c90]

Even before the music began, as the quartet approached their seats, the posture and expressions of the giraffes reminded me of the judges on every talent show. They watched the musicians intently, as if to ask, "So what do you plan to show us today?"

[@pookiepookie8669]

That really was cute how the giraffes knew something was going on, and then their reaction - so sweet!

[@singsonggirl9267]

LOL!

[@kantraxoikol6914]

these animals are so awesome! they use those tongues like hands, are amazingly gentle and curious, an absolute joy to see them interact with people...

[@anonymouseve]

What pieces are they playing?

[@dotnb]

Dinner AND a show? The giraffes 🦒 had a real treat that day!

[@JoceLawson]

My first visit to the Denver Zoo was July 3rd 2018 and Dobby was maybe only a year old then. He was so goofy looking then but he's a handsome young man in this video! I cried tears of joy the first time I saw the giraffes in Denver. They are my favorite!! Thank you to the Zoo and the Colorado Symphony for enriching the animals and the public's lives with beautiful music!

[@Paolablanton]

Soooooo cute! OMG

[@bluespruce679]

Super beautiful! My eyes are still blurred from....tears of joy and love. Thank you for sharing your musical gifts, Colorado Symphony, and for blessing God's wonderful creations, the incredible giraffes! All so beautiful!! Thank you with all my heart! Shalom! 🦒🦒🦒💜🎶🕊🎶💜

[@AC-gw4qu]

Gotta hand it to those musicians for really sticking their necks out.

[@donettemiller7817]

What a beautiful thing to play music for these graceful creatures. 💜👍👏👏👏

[@labhrais6957]

My heart melted a little. I needed this.

[@Naly7]

They get bouncy when they're happy, so cute!🦒❤️

[@timothywhite8766]

Very interesting video. That quartet was sooo beautiful! Makes me wish I was a billionaire so I could pay them to serenade me every time I come home!

[@timothywhite8766]

@szs voc Honestly. made me laugh!

[@amywalker7515]

You could get CD's of them playing and put them on when you get home. It's a whole lot cheaper.

[@lisalewis540]

Beautiful and harmonious, people showing love for animals ☺

[@margiewatson6081]

The actual enclosure is pretty sterile. Yes, the music enriched their day.

[@AishawithanEye]

Zoo enclosures should be built more like hamster tubes: interwoven so the animals can travel throughout the day and be stimulated by interacting with other animals through protective barriers. Right now they're built like barren prisons with only enough resemblance of their "natural habitat" to fool uneducated humans into thinking these animals are content with the way things are. I understand where the animals came from is no longer hospitable in many cases, but all zoos should be part of habitat enhancement and reintroduction programs.

[@donshields2379]

@@AishawithanEye check out the San Diego Zoo. And also the Wild Animal Park (Safari Park). You'll see a difference.

[@yourroyalhighness7662]

Or visit the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro. It has some magnificent animal habitats.

[@mindsharping]

Thank you. Those animals are being tortured keeping them like that.

[@alisonschmitt9533]

I feel like a safari park model for zoos would be far preferable, no? Let them roam in a real environment in large fenced sectors with groups of compatible animals together in each. Who can still possibly think that life in a small concrete pen, in close proximity to loud and disrespectful humans, is an acceptable way to house a wild animal?

[@alexisrivera3994]

Giraffes are my favorite animal 🦒 and to see them so captivated in a world of music and show interest in the sound and change of temp is adorable.

[@charliekane135]

Well they're certainly captive 😔 I'm glad they got some joy for a while

[@Liz_678]

Love these videos!

[@okd521]

I never get tired of watching different animals watching and listening to humans play music

[@suewhitmore5742]

Enjoy these videos sharing music with all animals. Amazing to see their reactions, how they are visibly moved by the experience of hearing good music. 🥰

[@robertcroftguitar6060]

Proving once again, the universal language of music is alive and well.

[@bonybb14]

Does anyone know the names of the pieces that were played?

[@aintmanyofusleft]

playing for giraffes is a tall order! love seeing the animals reaction anyone remember the cartoon of the tasmanian devil doing ballet?

[@katie-7972]

Quality content 😍

[@suziperret468]

So enchanting for both sides. Music is the universal language !

[@yashiAxen39]

That is really really great ❤️more than 5stars from me for this ❤️🔝

[@RhondaBAZ]

Animals are so amazing..and the orchestra was too! Music is needed everywhere...Thank you for sharing ..

[@jaycee3718]

The giraffes would have enjoyed it more if they played Sir Mix-a-Lot’s “Baby Got Back” instead.

[@pookiepookie8669]

Crap. It's noise not music.

[@iluv2singa163]

I like big necks and I cannot lie!

[@donnapaxton1238]

It would be really nice if the zoos would play some nice classical instrumental music over the speakers on a regular basis for these beautiful creatures, all over the world.

[@Kimtkt]

This is some actual great stuff! :D

[@kathylingen1667]

I loved it. So precious to play music for the giraffes.

[@hiNa-jm7vd]

i wanted to see more giraffes :[

[@karenholland4732]

THAT WAS SO COOL TO SEE THE GIRAFFES REACTION TO GREAT LIVE MUSIC. THANK YOU COLORADO SYMPHONY & DENVER ZOO.

[@snicklefritzed]

This must be so reinvigorating for the musicians as well, they're seeing that joy and unbiased appreciation for their performance through the Giraffes

[@chuckwagon5518]

Would've been nice to actually see the giraffe response to the playing. As opposed to all the humans talking. Or feeding the giraffes.

[@allylou8514]

The little giraffe bless 💞 want to give hug 🤗 so cute. Love how they get bit giddy to music. I liked music to👍😊

[@timeforthinkers7418]

This was waaaaaay cool. Music & animals (giraffes being 1 of my favorites) are 2 of my passions. This was such a treat to see the 2 brought together. God's ideas interacting. Love in action.