over the past 300 years giraffes have
been sliding towards extinction their
numbers have dropped dramatically from
around 1 million to 100 000
but recently they've been making
headlines for a different reason
according to a new study the world's
giraffe population has increased by 20
percent
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it sounds like cause for celebration
but is it really
to what extent is this plus 20 news the
result of more accurate and technically
sophisticated survey methods
and how much of it is due to the success
of conservation projects that bring
giraffes back to the places where they
once lived but are now extinct
either way it's the story of an
incredible comeback
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giraffes are one of africa's most iconic
animals
found nowhere else on the planet
they live in 21 sub-saharan countries
from niger and chad in the north right
down to south africa
but despite their instant
recognizability they haven't been given
as much attention as bold predators like
lions or other large and endangered
species such as rhinos and elephants
in fact though there's only around one
giraffe for every three to four african
elephants in the wild
giraffes have been undergoing what
scientists term a silent extinction
many people don't even realize they're
at risk or how much their numbers have
declined
back in the 18th century around 1
million giraffes roamed the savannah
but by 1985 there were just 155 000 left
and by 2015 this had plummeted to 97 000
a drop of around 40 percent
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in 2016 the iucn red list finally
reclassified them from least concern to
vulnerable
yet a new study shows that giraffe
numbers across africa are now around 117
000. meaning the population seems to
have gone up again by twenty percent
on the face of it this sounds like great
news but does it mean giraffes are now
out of danger
unfortunately things aren't quite that
simple
while there have been some conservation
successes leading to increased numbers
of giraffes in countries like kenya and
uganda these new statistics are partly
down to more accurate data
in recent years conservationists have
worked hard to strengthen cross-border
corporations between the 21 countries
where giraffes are found
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survey methods have also improved and
more are being undertaken including ones
that look at giraffe as a focused
species
more accurate survey methods mean that
while giraffes can often be well
camouflaged under tall trees or thick
vegetation they are now more likely to
be spotted
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and photographic surveys can make use of
advanced technology to identify
individual animals
one of the leading organizations in this
field is the giraffe conservation
foundation
using latest technology it tracks
individual giraffes to gain valuable
information about their habitats and
behaviors as well as concrete population
numbers
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but what exactly does this kind of
conservation technology look like
one of gcf's keystone programs is the
twiga tracker initiative the largest
ever gps satellite tracking study to be
conducted on giraffes it has monitored
over 300 individuals so far
the tuiga tracker initiative uses
specially developed solar-powered gps
units some of which weigh less than 40
grams and can be attached to a giraffe's
tail or ear
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catching a giraffe is not an easy task
but expert teams including a specialist
wildlife veterinarian can do this
without causing the animal harm
while on the ground it's monitored
closely and various samples are
collected for research projects
to minimize stress the giraffe is
released again as soon as possible
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once a tag is attached it can connect to
local data transmission or satellite
networks to provide a real-time picture
of the giraffe's movements
this can be analyzed to build a sense of
how it interacts with its environment
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another form of technology being used to
assess certain giraffe populations is
artificial intelligence
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giraffe has a slightly different coat
pattern just like human fingerprints no
two are identical
because of this the giraffe conservation
foundation has been able to use machine
learning and pattern recognition when
surveying selected populations
after first conducting a photographic
survey which involves driving around and
photographing every giraffe spotted
within a certain area
researchers can use pattern recognition
to establish just how many individual
animals they have encountered
this prevents any recounts and creates
an accurate database
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thanks to methods like these data on
giraffes in the wild has increased and
improved
so how can it help with conservation on
the ground
over the past 300 years around 90
percent of natural giraffe habitat has
been lost
but having a solid understanding of
their habitats and preferred
environments can help win back valuable
living space for these long-legged
mammals
sometimes appropriate living space is
available just that issues such as
poaching or armed human conflict have
driven the giraffes away
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in this case translocations can help
translocation involves moving small
numbers of giraffes from one
conservation area to another helping to
establish new populations or boost
already existing ones
it's logistically very challenging but
the rewards can be great
over the past few years the giraffe
conservation foundation has carried out
a series of successful translocations
so far
158 giraffes have been moved across more
than 15 000 kilometers in five countries
regaining seven million acres of habitat
plus more than 50 baby giraffes have
been born into newly established
populations
none of this would have been possible
without a fundamental understanding of
how giraffes move through the landscapes
and what kind of habitats they need
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for this reason technologies such as gps
satellite tracking and pattern
recognition plus other approaches like
high quality photographic studies are
crucial in the fight to protect them
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still with only 117 000 left in the
world today
the danger is definitely not over
but thanks to the dedicated work of
conservation organizations and
innovative new methods of wildlife
tracking it is possible to see a
brighter future for giraffes
hi there we've got news from the giraffe
consolation foundation they're starting
a new project in mozambique with the aim
to more than double the number of shiraz
over the next five years which is quite
amazing if you want to learn more about
the conservation work follow the link
below and be sure to check out our
conservation playlist because we have
way more videos for you