The Uganda Wildlife Authority {UWA} in collaboration with Giraffe Conservation Foundation {GCF} and other partners are working hard on developing a National Giraffe Conservation Strategy and Action Plan at the moment in Entebbe. “Let’s make sure there is a future for giraffe in Uganda. The World Giraffe Day – 21 June is just around the corner. Show your support for GCF and giraffe in Africa by changing your profile picture for a week! Let’s make Facebook go giraffe!”, says a source from UWA.
The UWA source in addition says; using a research based approach, Giraffe conservation and management strategies are implemented in close collaboration with local partners for maximum impact. “Unlike most other large megafauna, giraffes remain largely under-studied in the wild. Giraffe populations continue to be in decline across Africa, with an estimated population of less than 80,000 remaining – down from 140,000 in the late 1990s.
Throughout their range, giraffes face numerous threats which are ever-increasing, such as habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, poaching and ultimately human population growths. However, giraffes have not appeared high up on the conservation agenda of many countries or NGOs, and it is now timely to promote their conservation at a time when real impacts on their numbers and range are happening”, adds the source.
Another source from Woburn Safari Park says; Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) is the world’s first and only charitable organization, dedicated solely to the conservation and management of giraffes in the world. “GCF’s vision is that of a sustainable future where all giraffe populations and subspecies are protected and secure in the wild.
To do that, the GCF implements, collaborates on and supports giraffe conservation projects throughout their natural range in order to put workable measures in place to prevent the further decline of giraffes before it is too late.
Similarly; US Dallas Zoo proudly contributes to the efforts of GCF by funding efforts to monitor giraffes and remove snares in Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda, home to more than 90 per cent of the wild population of the endangered Rothschild’s giraffe. “These funds also help GCF and the Uganda Wildlife Authority raise awareness in local communities in an effort to decrease poaching in the area.
The giraffe is an iconic African species and it is often a common misconception that giraffe are abundant throughout Africa. However, in the last 20 years giraffe numbers have declined significantly. Giraffe are now extinct in seven African countries and with only 80,000 giraffe remaining this gentle giant is likely to become Africa’s silent extinction”, says a source obtained from Dallas Zoo.
“However, there are people out there doing vital work to help save this species. Money raised by visitors and staff at Woburn Safari Park has helped to support and fund vital giraffe conservation initiatives. In 2015 Woburn supported Operation Twiga, a Rothschild’s giraffe conservation initiative launched by the Giraffe Conservation Foundation”, adds the source.
Rothschild’s giraffe, along with West African giraffe are ranked among the most vulnerable large mammals in the world. “Today there are only 1,500 Rothschild’s giraffe left in the wild, of this 1,250 of them live in the northern part of the Murchision Falls National Park in Uganda.
“If any form of disaster was to occur the Rothschild’s giraffe could disappear forever. Therefore, Operation Twiga set out to translocate some of these giraffe to other parts of the National Park to create new satellite populations, thereby safeguarding the future of this species”, concludes the source.
