If you were describing this scene orally in English and knew what you were looking at, you might say something that sounded like this: “Look, there’s a giraffe in snow!”
The tall, small-headed animal called a giraffe is a tree trimmer; so is this contraption. The equipment was produced by a Minnesota-based company that intentionally named itself “Jarraff” [always pronounced “giraffe”] Industries and adopted an image of an African giraffe as its trademark.
More specifically, the equipment shown here is cataloged as a “Jarraff All-Terrain Tree Trimmer,” but it’s usually just called a “Jarraff” (again: pronounced “giraffe”). As indicated, it’s used to clear tree branches, especially those alongside the road and near power lines.
The telescoping boom on the trimmer can extend to 75 feet on the latest models and has a 180-degree tiltable saw at the end, according to the published specifications. That boom is made of non-conductive fiberglass that can operate along medium voltage power lines without causing power outages. The beast was at rest yesterday at the Naskeag Point parking lot, where it has been parked for some time. (Images taken in Brooklin, Maine, on January 22, 2024.)