South Africa is home to the southern giraffe (Giraffa giraffa) and the Giraffe Conservation Foundation focuses on protecting these giraffe and securing their future in the country. Nearly half of Africa’s giraffe population resides in Southern Africa.
South Africa serves as a stronghold for giraffe on the continent, making it crucial to understand the abundance, distribution, and genetic makeup of the various meta populations scattered throughout the country.
The majority of South Africa’s giraffe inhabit the northern and northeastern regions, predominantly in Kruger National Park, and on private game reserves and farms. Notably, a significant number of these giraffe live in small, isolated populations, most of which have been introduced from within the country but also or from neighboring countries. These introductions raise questions about their contribution to the overall genetic status of the southern giraffe and the potential for hybridization between the two subspecies, the South African giraffe (G. g. giraffa) and the Angolan giraffe (G. g. angolensis).
To address these concerns, our program encompasses nationwide DNA sampling, population abundance surveys, and translocation assessments for potential introductions across Southern Africa. Collaborating with our South African conservation partners, the Giraffe Conservation Foundation hopes that our findings will support future conservation strategies in the country as one of the initial steps in guiding and shaping this program.
