Now is the time to notice the giraffe

While the plight of black rhinos and pangolins dominates the headlines, another iconic African species is experiencing population declines due to habitat loss and human encroachment. This World Giraffe Day (21 June) is a chance to focus on the plight of these towering but elegant creatures, which, despite their height, are often overlooked as a species that needs to be conserved.

According to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, over the past 35 years, giraffe populations have declined by 30%, and now only an estimated 117 000 remain in the wild. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature classifies the species as vulnerable, with sub-species the Nubian and Kordofan giraffe considered critically endangered.

Threats to giraffe populations differ by region, but they include habitat loss and fragmentation caused by agricultural expansion, human settlement, and infrastructure development. Fragmented habitats reduce access to food and water, limit genetic diversity, and increase the potential for human-wildlife conflict.

Giraffes are also hunted for bushmeat, skins and tails and even bones, which are used for traditional medicine and charms. CEO at Shamwari Private Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape, Joe Cloete,, said  another factor is a lack of awareness and conservation attention.

“Giraffes have historically received less conservation focus compared to some other species. As a result, the declines in some sub-species have gone largely unnoticed until recently. What’s often not appreciated is the giraffe’s role in maintaining biodiversity by shaping vegetation, creating habitats for smaller species and supporting ecosystems.”

As with rhino conservation, where over half of Africa’s remaining white rhinos are now conserved on private land, private game reserves have a role to play in giraffe conservation.

Cloete says these reserves protect large tracts of land from agriculture, deforestation and urban expansion. They also restore degraded ecosystems, improving forage availability and biodiversity, benefitting giraffes and other species. Dedicated anti-poaching patrols, such as those at Shamwari, equipped with dogs, surveillance technology and even aircraft, reduce illegal hunting.

Private reserves also play an important part in managing healthy breeding populations of giraffes, supporting genetic diversity through careful introductions or transfers between populations.
“Because we’re invested, we keep a close eye on our giraffe populations. This helps add to the pool of knowledge about giraffe behaviour, ecology and genetics as well as identifying threats early and evaluating the success of conservation strategies.”

Importantly, like Shamari, many reserves have outreach programmes, engaging surrounding communities and raising awareness about the importance of conservation.

“These help build understanding that giraffes draw tourists and have economic value for the community, which benefits from jobs at the reserves and supplying them with goods and services. For example, we source our amenity kits from a local sewing group.”