Giraffes feeding

Unfortunately, giraffe populations are declining worldwide, labelled the ‘silent extinction’ as they’re often forgotten when it comes to conservation. Their numbers have plummeted 40% in the last 30 years. The usual culprits are the reason; habitat loss due to human encroachment, killing for bush meat and trophy hunting are all threats. In 2017 the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation found that an average of one dead giraffe a day was being imported into the United States as a trophy. A coalition of more than 30 African countries have come together to support a proposal to put giraffes on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (known as CITES). If this is successful it would result in the first restrictions on the international commercial trade of giraffe products.