In 2005, the Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed, ending the 22-year-long civil war in Sudan – Africa’s longest-running conflict. South Sudan emerged as an independent nation.
During the war, effective management of protected areas was severely lacking, resulting in the destruction of human, physical, institutional, and systemic infrastructure. Knowledge on wildlife numbers and habitat use in South Sudan remains limited, largely relying on outdated surveys. Critical wildlife species, including giraffe, face local extinction due to poaching if no action is taken.
Historically, Boma and Bandingilo National Parks hosted over 9,000 Nubian giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis camelopardalis). Today, their numbers have dwindled to an estimated few hundred and their distribution is largely unknown. African Parks co-manages these parks on behalf of the South Sudanese Government, and hopefully more accurate data will be obtained to guide effective management and protection of giraffe and other wildlife.
A large-scale GPS satellite tagging operations was undertaken in 2023-24, focusing on priority species such as white-eared kob, Mongalla gazelle, tiang, African savanna elephant, African lion, and Nubian giraffe. The Giraffe Conservation Foundation provided valuable veterinary support, tags and equipment during these operations, resulting in the first-ever tagging of Nubian giraffe in South Sudan.
The data from the GPS satellite tagging has revealed valuable information on giraffe and other wildlife movement patterns and highlighted the significant influence of human-wildlife interactions. We now have a better understanding of the geographical range of the Nubian giraffe within the broader White Nile Migration Landscape.
Nubian giraffe are a key sentinel species in this landscape, and the Giraffe Conservation Foundation continues to support the monitoring and conservation efforts of African Parks with the goal of gaining a better understanding and aiding their management.
