The color of a giraffes tongue is best described as black, blue, or purple with a pink base/back. The front part of the tongue has such dark coloration to protect it during frequent sun exposure while eating and prevent the tongue from getting sunburned. Giraffes live in hot, sunny places and love to eat leaves from tall trees. As they eat, their tongues are out in the bright sun. So, just like humans put on sunscreen to protect their skin, giraffes have a built-in sunscreen for their tongues. The dark color of the tongue is due to the density of dark melanin color pigments in them, which provides extra UV protection. The middle and posterior parts of the tongue are a run-of-the-mill, baby-pink color.