World Giraffe Day is an annual event to celebrate the tallest animal on the longest day or night (depending on which hemisphere you live!) of the year. June 21 is here to raise support, create awareness and shed light on the challenges these species face in the wild. Let's help save giraffe in Africa.
The world's tallest mammals
Giraffes are the world's tallest mammals, thanks to their towering legs and long necks. A giraffe's legs alone are taller than many humans - about 6 feet . These long legs allow giraffes to run as fast as 35 miles an hour over short distances and cruise comfortably at 10 miles an hour over longer distances.
In some areas traditionally regarded as prime giraffe habitat, numbers have dropped by 95%
In the 1980s, the total number of all giraffe in Africa was estimated at more than 155,000 individuals. Today, GCF estimates the current Africa-wide giraffe population at approximately 117,000 individuals. This is a drop by almost 30%, a slightly less bleak picture than previously portrayed in the 2016 IUCN Red List assessment that estimated giraffe at less than 100,000 individuals.
However, this updated information is based more on improved data rather than on actual increases in numbers. Unfortunately, in some areas traditionally regarded as prime giraffe habitat, numbers have dropped by 95% in the same period.
Giraffe’s are vital to keeping ecosystems in balance. They eat the browse that others cannot reach, which promotes growth of forage and opens up areas for themselves and other smaller browsers to make use of. Importantly this means that by protecting Africa’s giraffes, we are protecting other species too. Giraffe’s lives are so intertwined with Acai trees that some seedlings do not germinate until they have passed through the giraffe’s digestive system.
Sources: nationalgeographic.com, giraffeconservation.org, sheldrickwildlifetrust.org
LET'S FIGHT TO SAVE THE MOST ENDANGERED
VAKOVAKO will soon fight to save the most endangered species. 100 % of all donations given via our app to „MOST ENDANGERED“ area will by transfered to related NGOs. Let’s help them expand their activities together.