The reticulated giraffe (Giraffa reticulata), a symbol of Africa, is often regarded as one of the most beautiful giraffe species. However, as sentinel species they are more than that, as they play a critical role in their ecosystem, open habitat for other wildlife, promote new forage growth, and also disperse seeds.
Historically, reticulated giraffe were wide-ranging from north-central Kenya to southern Ethiopia and Somalia. However, this iconic giraffe species has faced a drastic decline of approximately 50% in the past 35 years from approximately 36,000 individuals to less than 16,000 today. This decline led to their listing as Endangered on the IUCN Red List in 2018. However, targeted conservation efforts since, particularly in northern Kenya, show promising signs of a population rebounding.
However, factors such as regional instability, ethnic conflict, poaching, and habitat loss and fragmentation continue to threaten the long-term survival of reticulated giraffe, while infrastructure development, land-use changes, and overgrazing have further reduced and degraded their natural habitat.
Despite their importance, surprisingly little is known about reticulated giraffe numbers, distribution, ecology, movements and habitat use. Such information gaps limit our knowledge and have contributed to their neglect in conservation and their subsequent decline. To tackle these problems, conservation efforts must be multidimensional to guide more effective conservation actions.
Uncovering traditional ecological knowledge of giraffe and the attitudes, perceptions, beliefs, and behaviors of local pastoralist communities is crucial for comprehending the reasons behind poaching and conflict. The Giraffe Conservation Foundation has supported the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance ‘Twiga Walinzi’ (giraffe guards) program across northern Kenya to train, educate and increase awareness around reticulated giraffe. This collaborative socio-ecological approach provides a holistic understanding and includes conservation interventions, such as local pastoralist monitoring, camera trapping, and GPS satellite tagging.
Collaborative, localized, and multipronged approaches are necessary to halt the decline of reticulated giraffe and establish sustainable conservation initiatives involving local communities. The Giraffe Conservation Foundation continues to support local efforts in collaboration with the Kenya Wildlife Service, Wildlife Research Training Institute, Kenyan organizations (Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Namunyak Conservancy, Northern Rangeland Trust), Wildlife Clubs of Kenya, and local conservancies of northern Kenya.
