Girafarig is a cloven-hooved, quadrupedal giraffinePokémon with a long neck. There is a white blaze on its muzzle, which ends in a round, pink nose. It has two ossicones with bulbous tips on top of its head. Its front half is yellow with brown spots, while its back half is brown with yellow spots. The brown section on female Girafarig is smaller than that of the male. There are many triangular, pink spikes along its back. Girafarig lives in savannas and grasslands, where it feeds on the plant life.
Girafarig's tail possesses a head of its own. The tail's head has yellow eyes, a mouth full of sharp teeth, and a small brain. However, this head is incapable of independent thinking and relies on outside stimuli such as smell to guide its actions. If the tail smells something alluring, it will bite. The tail often mimics the head during feeding and is able to warn the Pokémon of danger if it is sleeping. The tail head can also unleash psychic powers.
Girafarig made its main series debut in The Psychic Sidekicks!, under the ownership of Cherry. The bond that Girafarig formed with Cherry allowed it to predict the attacks of Team Rocket’s GiantGengar and communicate with Cherry. It also demonstrated a powerful Future Sight.
In Saved by the Beldum, Morrison used a Girafarig during his match against Ash, but due to Morrison's reluctance to battle his friend, Girafarig was easily defeated by Corphish's Crabhammer.
Girafarig debuted in Spell of the Unown: Entei, under the ownership of Lisa, who used it to battle Ash during the opening sequence. It went up against Chikorita and ultimately won.
In Misdreavus Misgivings, Morty helped a Trainer locate her lost Girafarig. It notably has a scar under its eye. Later, in The Last Battle XIII, the same Trainer was one of the people who volunteered their Pokémon for transfer, sending her Girafarig over.
Girafarig's rear head also has a brain, but it is small. The rear head attacks in response to smells and sounds. Approaching this Pokémon from behind can cause the rear head to suddenly lash out and bite.
Girafarig's rear head contains a tiny brain that is too small for thinking. However, the rear head doesn't need to sleep, so it can keep watch over its surroundings 24 hours a day.
A Girafarig is an herbivore—it eats grass and tree shoots. While it is eating, its tail makes chewing and swallowing motions as if it were also eating.
Girafarig's rear head also has a brain, but it is small. The rear head attacks in response to smells and sounds. Approaching this Pokémon from behind can cause the rear head to suddenly lash out and bite.
Girafarig's rear head contains a tiny brain that is too small for thinking. However, the rear head doesn't need to sleep, so it can keep watch over its surroundings 24 hours a day.
An early design of Girafarig had a full-sized second head, reflecting its palindromic name, and resembling a Pushmi-pullyu.
Additionally, it was intended to be Dark/Normal-type and to have a pre-evolution, named "Tsuinzu" (Japanese: ツインズ), which literally means "twins".
Girafarig's English name was suggested by Jeff Kalles, who assisted in the naming of many Generation II Pokémon.[1]
Origin
Girafarig appears to be based on a giraffe, and given its darker-colored backside, it may also be based on the Giraffokeryx, an extinct genus that resembled both the okapi and the giraffe. Girafarig's small second brain may have been based on the Stegosaurus, a herbivorous dinosaur which had been speculated to have possessed a second brain in its tail, improving its reflexes against predators.
Name origin
Girafarig may be derived from giraffe. The name is a palindrome, which may refer to its two-headed appearance.
Kirinriki is a palindrome which may be derived from 麒麟 kirin (giraffe). It may also involve 念力 nenriki (telekinesis).