Pet owners know exactly what the “zoomies” look like.
One second, your dog or cat is perfectly calm. The next, they’re racing around the house like they suddenly remembered they have somewhere very important to be.
Apparently, giraffes get the urge to let loose too.
Visitors at the North Carolina Zoo were treated to an especially adorable sight when Amelia, a seven-year-old giraffe, began galloping around her habitat with the enthusiasm of an oversized puppy.
The zoo shared video of Amelia’s energetic morning, showing the long-legged giraffe bounding across a grassy field at surprising speed.
And she wasn’t alone for long.
Another giraffe named Turbo eventually joined the fun, turning Amelia’s solo sprint into an impromptu giraffe race.
Watching a giraffe run is a little different from watching most animals take off at full speed.
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Their extraordinarily long legs make each stride look huge and almost exaggerated, while their long necks sway with every step. From a distance, the movement can even appear strangely slow and graceful despite how quickly the animals are actually traveling.
That illusion can be deceiving.
Giraffes are capable of running at speeds of roughly 35 mph for short distances, meaning Amelia’s playful romp was considerably faster than it may have looked on camera.
The North Carolina Zoo said Amelia appeared to be enjoying a cool morning when the burst of energy struck.
That makes sense considering giraffes are naturally active animals.
In the wild, giraffes travel across large areas of African savanna searching for food, water and other members of their social groups. At accredited zoos, large habitats and enrichment opportunities are designed to encourage many of those same natural behaviors.
The North Carolina Zoo has previously explained that its giraffe habitat is designed to give the animals a stimulating environment where they can display species-typical behaviors.
Amelia has been living at the zoo for several years and shares the habitat with other giraffes, including Turbo.
The two certainly appeared to be enjoying each other’s company during their morning run.
Viewers loved seeing the usually calm-looking giants acting so playful.
“So cool! What a sight to see!” one viewer commented.
Another joked that Amelia must simply be excited about the arrival of cooler fall weather.
Considering how quickly she took off across the field, they may be onto something.
Whatever sparked Amelia’s burst of energy, the moment gave zoo visitors a rare look at the playful side of one of the world’s tallest animals.
Dogs may have invented the zoomies in the eyes of pet owners, but Amelia just proved giraffes can give them some serious competition.