If you’ve been on Facebook lately, you’ve probably noted the many images of the long-necked animal popping up as profile pictures. It’s the result of one New Zealand man’s online riddle-turned-viral sensation: If you fail his challenge, you’re obligated to change your photo to that of a giraffe.
But the meme may not be an isolated phenomenon: If anything, it’s part of a broader trend that has seen the zoo denizen’s popularity rise in line with the slope of its neck. Much like the ever-finicky and spoof-worthy cat, the giraffe has become an “it” animal.
Consider how a growing number of zoos are showcasing giraffes in bigger and bolder ways, including by featuring feeding stations that allow the public to interact with the animals via an elevated platform (lettuce is the giraffe’s snack of choice). Zoos in Texas (Houston), California (Sacramento), Alabama (Birmingham) and Ohio (Cincinnati) have added such stations in the past four years alone. And the San Antonio Zoo and Chattanooga Zoo have stations in the works.
“Giraffes are overwhelmingly popular” right now, says Steve Feldman, a spokesman for the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, a trade group based in Washington, D.C. (Feldman estimates that there are 525 giraffes currently housed in AZA-accredited zoos — a number that has “been steady over the past couple of years.”)
The giraffe boom extends to the toy market, too. Sophie the Giraffe, a French-made teething toy in the shape of the animal, has been a favorite in the U.S. since its introduction a few years back, with sales climbing by at least 400% in recent years. In France, Sophie is so popular that the number of teethers sold (around 816,000 annually) actually tops the number of children born, according to Slate.com.
Retailers are also picking up on the giraffe trend. TheBigZoo.com, an online purveyor of animal-themed toys, books and apparel, has doubled its selection of giraffe items in the past five years, with offerings ranging from a giraffe pencil sharpener ($2.69) to a five foot-tall stuffed giraffe ($115).
“Giraffes are definitely a top-five animal,” says Chris Gober, owner of TheBigZoo.com, which is based in Magnolia, Texas.
So, what’s behind the boom? Some say that in an era when parents are trying to raise children without boy-vs.-girl stereotypes, giraffes are the perfect choice — they’re not perceived as leaning masculine (like lions or sharks) or feminine (like horses). “It’s a really easy unisex animal,” says Ali Wing, founder of Giggle.com, an online baby store that offers a number of giraffe items.
On top of that, as an animal with African roots, the giraffe fits perfectly into our growing global consciousness, retail pros and animal experts say. In other words, parents — particularly urban and contemporary-minded parents — are getting away from the barnyard and embracing the jungle and the rain forest.
Indeed, just as fashions change, so do our animal preferences. And pop culture can play a huge role in establishing or spreading a trend. For example, Chris Gober of TheBigZoo.com says pandas became especially hot when the first “Kung Fu Panda” movie came out in 2008.
Of course, it’s not as though the giraffe has been languishing in obscurity until recently. After all, toy retailer Toys “R” Us has had Geoffrey the Giraffe as its mascot for more than 50 years. And giraffes have figured prominently in movies ranging from the original “Doctor Dolittle” (1967) to “Madagascar” (2005). If anything, some say, the giraffe is overdue for the larger fame it’s enjoying of late. And the Facebook riddle could only take that recognition to the next level.
As Houston Zoo spokesman Brian Hill says, it’s a bit hard to top the giraffe — literally. “By virtue of their sheer size and grace, they’re fascinating,” he says.
This article originally appeared on MarketWatch.com