For The First Time Ever, Some Giraffes Are Considered Endangered

Dec 17, 2018 by apost team

Everyone's favorite long-necked land mammal could be on its way to joining the list of species that have gone extinct.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (ICUN), the Nubian and Kordofan subspecies of giraffe, two out of the existing nine subspecies, have been added to a list of critically endangered animals, and the reticulated giraffe is now considered endangered.

Dr. Julian Fennessey, the co-chair of the ICUN Species Survival Commission Giraffe and Okapi Specialist Group, stated that giraffes are "under severe pressure in some of its core ranges across East, Central, and West Africa…we have been sounding the alarm for a few years now."

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This heartbreaking turn of events can be blamed on illegal hunting and civil unrest in the areas of Africa where these giraffes dwell, as well as the increase of human-induced habitat loss due to agriculture and over-mining of natural resources.

Although the outlook looks grim for the Kordofan and Nubian giraffes, the Rothschild and the West African giraffes, two other subspecies of the magnificent animal, have each recently had their extinction status upgraded.

The East Africa coordinator of the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, Arthur Muenza, said: 

"This is a conservation success story and highlights the value of making proactive giraffe conservation and management efforts in critical populations across the continent." 

He also added that conservationists need to step up their efforts, especially considering the new "critically endangered" status of the Kordofan and Nubian giraffes.

You can buy sustainable products and refuse to do business with companies who do not take careful environmental considerations.

You can pressure your local politicians to care more about the environment and the impact humans have on it. Vote for politicians who feel the same way you do about environmental issues.

But most importantly, you can educate your friends and family in the plight of endangered species and sub-species. Information is power, and the more people who are aware of the issues at hand, the more people who can stand up and help the environment.

What do you think about the current state of the environment? How do you think we can do better? Let us know below in the comments!