Protect Gentle Giraffes from "Silent Extinction" in Africa

There's a "silent extinction" happening in Africa, and it's not elephants, rhinos or gorillas. It's the giraffe.

Did you know that there are less wild giraffes than wild elephants? There are only 90,000 wild giraffes in Africa, and their numbers have dropped 40 percent since 2001, reports IBTimes. Comparatively, there are an estimated 450,000-700,000 wild African elephants left? 

Dr Julian Fennessy, the executive director of Giraffe Conservation Foundation, describes to IBTimes the predicament that giraffes are in as: "I am absolutely amazed that no one has a clue. This is a silent extinction. Some populations number less than 400."

Poaching and habitat degradation are destroying giraffe populations. According to the IBTimes, oil exploration, increasing human populations, fuel wood collections and drought are also contributing to dwindling giraffe populations.

Sign and share this petition urging African leaders with critical giraffe populations to protect them from this "silent extinction." Do you really want to picture a planet without these gentle giants?



Photo Credit: Stefan David