Giraffes: the new truths

How much do we really know about giraffes?

 21^st June 2017 is World Giraffe Day. As the day dawns on us, how much do we really know about giraffes and the threats that face them?

With legs standing taller than a human, giraffes are officially the tallest terrestrial animal in the world. They are ruminating ungulates which in laymen terms means they are grass eating, hoofed mammals. For centuries their ominous size coupled with their docile personalities, has fascinated us. They have provided much enjoyment on safari trips across the African savannahs and are often thought to be abundant on the African continent.

As World Giraffe Day dawns, I delved into the facts behind these gentle giants and found some stark contrasts to the common beliefs of giraffes.

Facts you probably didn’t know

• It has only recently come to light that there are four species of giraffe – not one!
• In 2016, reports suggested an estimated 80,000 giraffes survive in the wild.
• The GCF state giraffe numbers have fallen by 40%, with some areas losing 95% of their population.
• Giraffes are considered more at threat than elephants.
• West African giraffes are the rarest with numbers estimated at 300.
• Giraffes are now extinct in several African countries, including Eritrea, Mali and Senegal.



There are now four species of giraffe, not one

 The biggest myths busted
 

Many statistics about giraffes are shocking: on safaris, largely due to their size and elongated necks, they are one of the first animals you see; and one of the most popular. However, in recent years the threats facing giraffes have grown exponentially. 

This is largely due to the truth behind a very false belief. Until recently it was believed there was only one species of giraffe. With large numbers, they were not placed on the ‘vulnerable’ or ‘endangered’ list by the IUCN. However, this is not the case: there are in fact four species! As some of these species have dwindling numbers and with certain species and sub-species under threat, the IUCN Red List has now recently moved giraffes to ‘vulnerable’ on the list.

 

Shocked? You should be. Now more at threat than elephants – whose plight due to poaching is now well documented – giraffes technically face extinction within my life time. That’s being generous. Their plight has gone largely undocumented until recently and we must act now to save them.

Threats to giraffes

In 2012, the IUCN declared that there were still 80,000 wild giraffes, a drop of 40,000 since 1998. According to the IUCN, they are extinct in Burkino Faso, Eritrea, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria and Senegal. In a report published in 2016, they found just 68,293 mature individuals in the wild.

 

As their habitats have become fragmented, groups have been moderated and isolated, risking their genetic uniqueness and placing sub-species at risk of dying out. Translocation poses the same problem for sub-species as in the wild they are not known to interbreed.

Their only other threat from hunting is lions which risk being kicked to death, and commonly only young giraffes are taken as food by hunting prides.

 

Humans are the biggest threat to giraffes, especially white ones

Standing tall
 

Thankfully, there are organisations out there who are literally sticking their necks out to help save giraffes.  The GCF (Giraffe Conservation Foundation) is delivering programmes all over Africa to help save our gangly, hairy friends.  

Their behemoth efforts include monitoring in Namibia and preserving parts of Garamba National Park amidst risks of attacks from Joseph Kony and the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army) who have wreaked havoc in the area and been blamed for the deaths of thousands of animals and people.
 

Their efforts aren’t confined to Africa. They work across the world promoting World Giraffe Day, celebrated tomorrow. The Bornfree Foundation is working in Niger with the rarest giraffe, the West African Giraffe They are working to protect and increase the remaining numbers in a sustainable manner. For more information on adopting a giraffe and supporting their conservation, click here.

Giraffe conservation is now vital.

An unclear future
 

It is not known, like so many details about giraffes, whether or not current efforts will save them in the future from the same tragic demise faced by so many of Africa’s beautiful and iconic animals. 

For now we can only hope that monitoring, surveying and observing their behaviours, alongside delivering education and raising awareness, will be enough. We don't want future generations deprived of the joy of watching giraffes roam their habitats freely and without further threats of persecution.