As the leading authority in wild giraffe conservation, the Giraffe Conservation Foundation offers invaluable technical assistance and expert counsel to various giraffe programs, governmental bodies, academic institutions, and organizations throughout Africa as well as scientific support to academic and research institutions globally.
The Giraffe Conservation Foundation plays a vital role in supporting giraffe conservation and management initiatives throughout all giraffe range states. As a scientific partner, the Giraffe Conservation Foundation provides supervision and expert advice to many African and international students.
To bring together experts in the field, the Giraffe Conservation Foundation in collaboration with the IUCN SSC Giraffe & Okapi Specialist Group hosted three Wild Giraffe Indabas in Namibia (2011), Kenya (2013) and South Africa (2015) to encourage collaboration and exchange between experts.
In 2018, a Giraffe Conservation Science Symposium brought together experts to develop a unifying Africa-wide Giraffe Conservation Science Management Framework. Key gaps for further assessment and opportunities for partnerships and collaboration were identified. Four key thematic areas were identified to cover critical questions for securing a future for giraffe populations in Africa: Taxonomy, Ecology, Health, and Human dimensions.
With an emphasis on collaboration, the Symposium was hosted jointly by the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (Bik-F), and the Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.
A second similar Symposium focusing on the ecology side was hosted jointly by the Giraffe Conservation Foundation and the Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute in 2024 to develop new partnerships and focus more on scientific solutions to saving giraffe in Africa.
