Giraffes: An Unnoticed Addition to the Endangered Species List

About fifteen years ago the wild giraffe population was estimated at about 140 000. Now, in 2019, the population has dropped by a whopping 40% (according to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation) and will continue to plummet if no action is taken.

So why are the numbers dropping so quickly? The main culprit is habitat loss. As cities and farms expand, the open plains that have been home to this megafauna have shrunk exponentially. The deforestation of acacia trees (the main food source of the giraffe) has also had a massive effect on the population. In many countries, illegal poaching is a major problem as well. In some countries, it is believed that giraffe brains and bone marrow can cure HIV. Giraffe heads and bones can sell for more than $140 each. It’s prices like these that fuel poachers to continue poaching.

What can be done to bring the population back up? There is no single solution for this problem, but with proper restrictions on hunting, protections on habitats, raised awareness, and proper enforcement from governments, the giraffe should be able to rebound to healthy numbers. And change is already in motion. In the country Niger, the giraffe population has grown from about fifty in the mid-1990’s to three hundred today.

If you want to learn more about giraffes or to donate to the conservation effort, check out  https://giraffeconservation.org/.

-Grace Tunski, The Victoria Voice School Newspaper