A World Without Giraffes?
World Giraffe Day is June 21, 2017, the longest day or the longest night of the year dependent on
where you live.
Giraffe populations are declining, and the world needs to know.
You can help save the giraffes by donating to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF).
Can you imagine a world without giraffes?
Giraffes have already become locally extinct in 7 African countries. They are dying out at a rapid, horrifying rate. Most people are unaware of it because we don't see the senseless hunting of giraffes like other threatened species. But they are hunted for their tails, hides, meats, and for trophies.
Besides hunting, they are losing their habitat to the growth of humans in their territories.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists one species of giraffe as vulnerable to extinction.
Giraffe populations have dropped over 40% in the last 30 years, and their numbers are less than 100,000!
Giraffe Species: 1 or 4?
Recently, the Giraffe Conservation Foundation and other wildlife experts reclassified giraffes into four species and five subspecies of giraffe as opposed to the classification of one species with nine subspecies currently recognized by the IUCN. This information may help get the giraffe classified as endangered. Currently, the IUCN lists one subspecies is listed as vulnerable and two are listed as endangered.
Below are statistics on the decreasing populations of the three of the four reclassified species:
- Northern giraffe: numbers have declined by more than 90%
- Reticulated giraffe: numbers have declined by almost 80%
- Masai giraffe: numbers have declined by more than 50%
How Can You Help Giraffes Survive?
Donate to the GCF to support the study and conservation efforts in Africa.
Like the GCF's Facebook page to learn more about the work of this organization.
Whatever you do, don't ignore this troubling issue.
A world without giraffes will be a sad one indeed.
Read more of my posts on giraffes.
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