Do You Know Your African Giraffes?

Diane McLeish explains everything you’ve always wanted to know about Africa’s tall, handsome and sometimes awkward giants.

Towering above the open plains and woodlands, giraffes are the world’s tallest mammals. They are social animals that roam Africa in large herds as they forage for food in the tops of trees.

They certainly stand out from the crowd. But giraffes are in danger and have been listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

As Africa’s development escalates with increased agricultural activities, settlements expanding, and more roads being constructed, the giraffe population is shrinking as they are gradually losing the acacia trees that are their main food source.

Although giraffes are among the world’s most recognized animals, they have been vastly under-researched. It had been widely recognized that the giraffe was one species (Giraffa camelopardalis) with nine subspecies.  More Here