The plight of giraffe, one of conservation’s best-kept secrets, is finally coming to light. Despite a significant decline in their population over recent decades, giraffe have garnered minimal attention and support for their conservation. Research conducted by conservationists has led to critical discoveries for the preservation of giraffe in the wild, most notably the identification of four distinct giraffe species. Among these, two species have such critically low populations that they are among the most endangered large mammals on the planet.

In the BBC documentary “Giraffe: Africa’s Gentle Giants”—featuring GCF’s important work in Africa—Sir David Attenborough referred to this decline as a “Silent Extinction.” These alarming numbers serve as a reminder that we need to protect giraffe now before it is too late.