According to the latest report from theONG Giraffe Conservation Foundation, the giraffe population has increased by 20% since 2015, reports the South African weekly Mail & Guardian. A finding that lends itself to optimism, but should not lower vigilance.
This is good news on the endangered species protection front. According to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, the number of giraffes has increased by 20% in Africa since 2015, reports the South African weekly Mail & Guardian. “Giraffes are not out of the woods, but there is hope as numbers show an upward trend across the continent”, notes the organization’s latest report.
Long considered to be at low risk, in 2016 giraffes joined the list of “vulnerable” species in the classification of threatened animals established by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (UICN). The non-governmental organization working for the conservation of nature pointed out that the giraffe population had dropped by 40% over the previous thirty years due to the shrinking of their habitat area, conflicts and poaching.
117,000 giraffes counted
Since then, the protection of this species has gradually become a priority. The latest encouraging figures from the Giraffe Conservation Foundation show that individuals are better protected, but also that census methods have improved. “To put it simply, we count them better”, explains the co-founder of theONG, Julian Fennessy.
Another element lending to optimism: the number of giraffes is increasing within the four subspecies present on the African continent, “a first”, However, the situation of the species remains precarious. Two subspecies are still “critically endangered”, according to the classification of theIUCN. Despite the increase in the population – estimated at 117,173 individuals, against 97,562 in 2015 – the number of giraffes remains much lower than that of elephants, for example. There are currently three to four wild elephants for every giraffe.
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