Saturday 17 December 2016

Standing tall for giraffes

Source: Short Day
Imagine this: A dire world without the tallest land mammal in the world: The Giraffe. This can soon be reality if we don’t stick our necks out for giraffes – we have taken them for granted for far too long!

Unfortunately, the conservation status of giraffes  (Giraffa camelopardalis), has, for the first time, been classified as ‘Vulnerable to extinction’ by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature in its Red List of Threatened Species report. These species were previously classified as ‘Least Concern’. But, their survival is in jeopardy as their populations are declining considerably. The animal faces extinction in the wild in the medium-term future if nothing is done to minimize the threats to its life or habitat. It came as a shock to many people as they didn’t see it coming. Julian Fennessy, executive director of Giraffe Conservation Foundation, calls it the “silent extinction”.

Source: ABC

















Source: BBC
The sad fact is that they once roamed extensively across Africa's savannas and woodlands, but now only occupy half of the range they did a century ago. This remarkable yet humble animal is under severe pressure in East, Central, and West Africa, their core ranges. Here, the populations are sparse and fragmented due to i.e. roads and mines. Their woodland habitat has been cleared for farms or burnt for charcoal, they’ve been hunted by poachers for their 'trophy' tails, and a vast expanses of remote, biologically rich ecosystems to new development pressures and increasing human-wildlife conflict have occurred.

Source: The Verge
Their total numbers have declined by 40% in just the last few decades from more than 150,000 in 1985 to just over 97,000 in 2015. Moreover, they have disappeared entirely from seven African countries, namely Burkina Faso, Eritrea, Guinea, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, and Senegal. Their decline has been so abruptly because they reproduce slowly, occasional attacks by lions and hyenas, and they are unable to effectively adapt to their hostile surroundings.

Source: IB Times UK
We have to stop assuming that giraffes will survive one generation to the next. We all have to ensure that conservation take place while ensuring sustainable societies. Saving the iconic giraffe will be a tall order before we lose them forever, but will absolutely be worthwhile. Your grandchildren will be thankful that you helped these tall, majestic animals so that they, too, can learn more about these stunning animals, but, most importantly, abundantly experience the stunning picture below in real-life:

Source: Short Day
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