World Giraffe Day

Lewa Wildlife Conservancy

Kenya

East Africa

 

Today is World Giraffe Day, an annual event initiated by the Giraffe Conservation Foundation to celebrate the longest-necked animal on the longest day or night (depending on which hemisphere you live!) of the year – June 21st each year.

 

There is still only limited information available on giraffe in the wild – so little that we often refer to giraffe as ‘forgotten giants’.

 

Giraffe in the wild have been largely ignored and under-researched. This situation is slowly being addressed. With a few exceptions, giraffe are in decline throughout the continent and the need for a concerted conservation effort has never been more urgent.

 

There are four species of giraffes and nine subspecies listed below.

 

Masai giraffe (Giraffa tippelskirchi) 35,000

 

Northern giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) 5,600

 

Kordofan giraffe (G. c. antiquorum) 2,000

 

Nubian giraffe ( G. c. camelopardalis ) 3,000

 

West African giraffe (G. c. peralta) 600

 

Reticulated giraffe (Giraffa reticulata) 15,780

 

Southern giraffe ( Giraffa giraffa ) 54,750

 

Angolan giraffe (G. g. angolensis) 17,750

 

South African giraffe (G. g. giraffa) 37,000

 

 

To donate go to giraffeconservation.org/world-giraffe-day/

 

Done