Reticulated giraffes in Buffalo Springs National Reserve, Kenya. James Warwick / The Image Bank / Getty Images
A giraffe's life is a hard one, crowded by humans, stressed by habitat fragmentation and threatened by poaching. But for females, friends could make it better and longer, a recent study finds.
<p>Over the past three decades, giraffe populations have declined by 30 percent, <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/04/how-to-tackle-a-giraffe/606787/" target="_blank">The Atlantic reported</a>. Today, only 111,000 individuals remain. Forming close relationships with fellow giraffes, however, could increase a female's chances at survival, <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rspb.2020.2770" target="_blank">researchers found</a>.</p><p>Led by Monica Bond at the University of Zurich in Switzerland, a team of researchers <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rspb.2020.2770" target="_blank">asked</a>, "Do differences in the socio-ecological environment experienced by individuals influence their survival?" After studying giraffes in Tanzania for five years, their findings were published Wednesday.</p>
<p>So far, few studies have combined information on a giraffe's social life, non-social components and demographic data to better understand their chances of survival, the <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rspb.2020.2770" target="_blank">authors wrote</a>. Their study, however, incorporates influences from a giraffe's natural environment and stressors from humans to better understand the benefits of social bonds.</p><p>"Grouping with more females, called gregariousness, is correlated with better survival of female giraffes, even as group membership is frequently changing," <a href="https://www.media.uzh.ch/en/Press-Releases/2021/Giraffes.html" target="_blank">Bond told</a> the University of Zurich.</p>
<p>Female giraffes form similar social bonds as humans do, proving to be beneficial for their ability to feed and rear their young, the University of Zurich reported.</p><p>"It seems to be beneficial for female giraffes to connect with a greater number of others and develop a sense of larger community, but without a strong sense of exclusive subgroup affiliation," Bond <a href="https://www.media.uzh.ch/en/Press-Releases/2021/Giraffes.html" target="_blank">added</a>, according to the University of Zurich. Giraffes that live more isolated lives, however, miss out on opportunities to learn about plentiful food sources and nearby predators, <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rspb.2020.2770" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the authors wrote</a>.</p>
<p>But female giraffes seek companions for more than just insight on the best food spots and local knowledge. The researchers <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rspb.2020.2770" target="_blank">found</a> that when female giraffes formed close bonds with other females, they were able to manage their stress levels, often raised by harassment from male giraffes.</p><p>While poaching does indeed decline giraffe populations, growing human disturbance and habitat fragmentation are the biggest threats, <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/04/how-to-tackle-a-giraffe/606787/" target="_blank">The Atlantic reported</a>.</p>
<p>"When the land is not open, it reduces the animals' ability to be flexible to change," Julian Fennessy, co-director and co-founder of the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, said. "And change is certainly upon them," The Atlantic reported.</p><p>Combined stressors, like shorter rainy seasons and longer droughts brought on by <a href="shttps://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-change">climate change</a>, as well as competition from nearby pastoralists for the same natural resources, impact giraffe survival, especially their reproductive success, The Atlantic reported.</p><p>But that's not it. Giraffes also suffer from a lesser-known risk.</p>
<p>In what Fennessy calls a "silent extinction," giraffes have long been overlooked by <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/conservation">conservation</a> groups, <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/06/150625-giraffes-animals-science-conservation-africa-endangered/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">National Geographic reported</a>, mainly because there are other <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/endangered-species">endangered species</a> in Africa, like elephants, rhinoceroses and chimpanzees that often get more attention from conservation groups. "Giraffes have suffered from surprising scientific neglect," the Atlantic reported, despite the adoration people have for the creature. "Few researchers have studied them in the wild, so even basic aspects of their lives remain mysterious."</p>
<p>Insight into a giraffe's ideal social life could help scientists and conservationists alike understand more about one of the planet's most distinct creatures, and help protect them before they have no friends left.</p><p>"This aspect of giraffe sociability is even more important than attributes of their non-social environment such as vegetation and nearness to human settlements," <a href="https://www.media.uzh.ch/en/Press-Releases/2021/Giraffes.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bond told the University of Zurich</a>.</p>
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<p>The mother and calf were confirmed dead Tuesday in Ijara, Garissa County by community members and rangers from the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/IshaqbiniHirola/" target="_blank">Ishaqbini Hirola Community Conservancy</a>, according to a press release.</p><p>"This is a very sad day for the community of Ijara and Kenya as a whole," conservancy manager Mohammed Ahmednoor said in the press release. "We are the only community in the world who are custodians of the white giraffe. Its killing is a blow to tremendous steps taken by the community to conserve rare and unique species, and a wakeup call for continued support to <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/conservation" target="_self">conservation</a> efforts."</p>
<div id="d5514" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="PU62581583930683"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1237362770439536641" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">SAD NEWS😢: @IshaqbiniHirola Community Conservancy, Garissa County loses two famous white giraffes to poachers.
For… https://t.co/8ULLnKRfAi</div> — @nrt_kenya (@@nrt_kenya)<a href="https://twitter.com/NRT_Kenya/statuses/1237362770439536641">1583845248.0</a></blockquote></div><p>The Kenya Wildlife Service had been called to the sanctuary after it was reported that the two giraffes had not been seen for some time, <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/10/africa/white-giraffes-kenya-poachers-trnd/index.html?utm_medium=social&utm_term=link&utm_content=2020-03-10T21%3A01%3A00&utm_source=fbCNN&fbclid=IwAR0_t1DhUnq1t6ZmUj4B9uC5sbgS9ssqOU-f2wDCLitQrlv-9jBYA0lyh2o" target="_blank">CNN reported</a>. When their skeletal remains were found and photographed, it was estimated that they had been dead at least four months. The Kenya Wildlife Service is now investigating the deaths.</p><p>Only one white giraffe is left in the conservancy, a male who is believed to be the only one now living, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/white-giraffe-kenya-killed-by-poachers-rare-female-and-baby-bbc-news-reports-hirola-conservatory/?fbclid=IwAR3zEHJmw-S9ssHEfs4UcrAvTtsiDl-Mai3_AiLKT1UTIP23LlHyUb_Xu9M" target="_blank">according to CBS News</a>.</p><p>The female white giraffe was first spotted with a pale calf in 2017 by a villager out herding animals, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/11/world/white-giraffe-killed-poachers.html" target="_blank">according to The New York Times</a>. It is not known what happened to that first calf, or if its coloring changed as it grew older. But the female gave birth to a second calf, according to CNN, and the rare animals drew visitors to the park and went viral on social media.</p>
<p>The giraffes' rare coloring was due to a genetic condition called leucism, which stops some skin cells from producing pigment, The New York Times explained. It is different from albinism in that animals with leucism can still produce melanin in their soft tissue, and their eyes are usually dark rather than red. It has been documented in birds, lions, fish, peacocks, penguins, eagles, hippos, moose and snakes, <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-51816083" target="_blank">according to BBC News</a>.</p><p>"This is a long-term loss given that genetics studies and research, which were significant investment into the area by researchers, have now gone down the drain," Ahmednoor said in the press release. "Further to this the white giraffe was a big boost to tourism in the area."</p><p>A white giraffe calf was also reported in Tanzania in 2015, according to The New York Times, but CNN reported that it is not known what became of her.</p><p>Giraffes in general are threatened by poaching and habitat loss across Africa, where their population has fallen by 40 percent in 30 years, <a href="https://www.awf.org/wildlife-conservation/giraffe" target="_blank">according to the African Wildlife Foundation</a>.</p>
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Like many other plant-based foods and products, CBD oil is one dietary supplement where "organic" labels are very important to consumers. However, there are little to no regulations within the hemp industry when it comes to deeming a product as organic, which makes it increasingly difficult for shoppers to find the best CBD oil products available on the market.
<p>Here you can learn about the importance of organic hemp oil, why it's better for the environment, and which CBD companies actually make trustworthy products with sustainable farming processes. origins which weigh heavily on many consumers who want to buy a product that's produced in the best way possible for not only themselves to ingest, but for the environment as well through sustainable farming methods. </p><h2>What Is CBD Oil?</h2><p>First things first, CBD stands for cannabidiol, and it's a cannabinoid found within cannabis sativa plants. This plant compound is believed to have many potential benefits, and it is primarily derived from hemp plants via a CO2 extraction process. </p><p>Since CBD is extracted from industrial hemp, which contains only trace amounts of THC (the psychoactive component in cannabis plants), this means that CBD won't make you feel high like marijuana, which has much higher levels of THC that causes psychoactive effects. Instead, the effects of CBD are much more subtle and promote a general sense of calm and relaxation in most users.</p><h2>What Makes a CBD Oil Organic?</h2><p>In terms of organic labels, perhaps the most important (and prominent) certification comes from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This government organization has been labeling foods as "organic" for many years, but what exactly does this certification entail? Essentially, a label indicating that a product is "USDA Organic" or "Certified Organic" means that at least 95% of the ingredients are obtained from organic sources.</p><p>For a crop to be considered organic by the USDA, it must be grown without the use of industrial solvents, irradiation, genetic engineering (GMOs), synthetic pesticides, or chemical fertilizer. Instead, farmers rely on natural substances and <a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2012/03/22/organic-101-what-usda-organic-label-means" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mechanical, physical, or biologically based farming</a> techniques to cultivate healthy and organic crops.</p><p>Before the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, no hemp-derived products could be dubbed as "certified organic" since the hemp plant and its extracts were still categorized as a Schedule I Controlled Substance. However, it's still difficult for CBD companies to obtain a USDA certified organic label for their products due to the legal grey area that still surrounds CBD extracts. </p><p>Because of these challenges, and due to the fact that industrial hemp has only recently become an agricultural crop, very few CBD oils are USDA certified organic. Rather, many CBD products contain hemp extracts from plants that were grown in organic conditions but may not be federally certified.</p><h2>What are the Best Organic CBD Oil Brands?</h2><p><em>Each product featured here has been independently selected by the writer. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.</em></p><em><br></em>
<h2>Why Organic Hemp Oil Matters</h2><p>Hemp is a unique plant, not only for its rich cannabinoid content, but also for its ability to absorb a wide variety of components in soil. But this trait poses great risks when it comes to the creation of CBD products derived from hemp.</p><p>Because hemp has a high capacity for compound uptake, this means that the plants can retain <a href="https://www.remedyreview.com/industry/lab-test-results/" target="_blank">harmful chemicals like pesticides</a>, heavy metals, and other residual solvents. This is especially true when it comes to synthetic chemicals that are more toxic to humans, and difficult to remove once they have been absorbed by the hemp plant.</p><p>Organic farming practices help reduce the risk of hemp crops absorbing harsh chemicals that may later end up in CBD oil after extraction. When you're taking CBD as a wellness supplement to help alleviate your symptoms or improve your overall well-being, the last thing you want is to ingest compounds that might negatively outweigh the benefits of CBD. This is an important reason to look for third party lab test results when shopping for CBD products since these certificates of analysis can show the full cannabinoid and terpene profile of a hemp extract, as well as test results that search for the presence of any residual solvents.</p><p>In addition to creating a better end product, organic farming practices are also better for the environment. Sustainable and organic farming methods may <a href="https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/organic-foods.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reduce pollution, conserve water, reduce soil erosion, increase soil fertility, and use less energy</a>. The use of natural pest deterrents as opposed to chemical pesticides is also better for nearby animal populations and ecosystems.</p><h3>Organic vs. Natural</h3><p>While there are only a select few companies offering certified organic ingredients in their products, almost every brand in the CBD market creates "natural" products. The term "all-natural" or "plant-based" does not mean that a product is organic, and since hemp oil is a natural derivative of hemp plants, these products are often referred to as all-natural. However, there are some synthetic CBD oils that should be avoided because they are chemically constructed and may produce unwanted side effects that are not caused by naturally derived CBD extracts.</p><h2>What are the Benefits of Organic CBD Oil?</h2><p>There's a long list of potential CBD oil health benefits, and some of the most common wellness advantages include:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2503660/" target="_blank">Chronic pain relief</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4604171/" target="_blank">Anti-anxiety effects</a></li><li>Better sleep</li><li><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/inner-source/201901/cbd-oil-mental-health-should-you-take-it-too" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Improvements in mood</a></li><li>Internal balance and regulation</li></ul><p>When dealing with pain, inflammation, sleep issues, and mental health struggles, it can be hard to find sufficient treatment options. The use of certain prescriptions can cause unwanted side effects, yet they are often the only solution for patients with these medical conditions. In search of other therapies, people have started to flock towards CBD oil as an alternative remedy for a variety of conditions. However, it should be noted that CBD products are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and you should seek your doctor's advice before using CBD if you have a serious medical condition.</p><h2>Look at the Labels Before You Buy CBD Oil</h2><p>When you go online to buy CBD oil, you'll quickly realize there is an overwhelming number of brands that are saturating the market. It can be difficult to determine which products are truly as good as they make themselves out to be. Always look for up-to-date third-party lab tests so you know you are getting a great product, and don't hesitate to contact the brand if you have any additional questions. And if you're intent on purchasing 100% organic CBD oil, it's best to look for certified products or brands that are held to strict regulatory standards.</p><p><strong>Melena Gurganus </strong>is the Reviews Editor at EcoWatch. She is passionate health and wellness and her writing aims to help others find products they can trust. Her work has been featured in publications such as Health, Shape, Huffington Post, Cannabis Business Times, and Bustle.<br></p>
Spruce
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjI3OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyOTM2NzgzOX0.axY0HjeqRctJsR_KmDLctzDpUBLBN-oNIdqaXDb4caQ/img.jpg?width=980" id="774be" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8379f35b1ca8a86d0e61b7d4bfc8b46e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="spruce organic cbd oil" data-width="710" data-height="959" /><p>As one of the best brands in the business, Spruce CBD is well-known for its potent CBD oils that feature many additional beneficial phytocannabinoids. This brand works with two family-owned, sustainably focused farms in the USA (one located in Kentucky and one in North Carolina) to create its organic, small product batches. The max potency Spruce CBD oil contains 2400mg of full-spectrum CBD extract, but the brand also offers a lower strength tincture with 750mg of CBD in total.</p>
$89
CBDistillery
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDcwMjkzNC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMTU4OTM4Nn0.ypRdeDSBcE87slYrFfVrRwtJ2qGIK6FD5jBB4pndTMo/img.jpg?width=980" id="b473b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9930b53c9d58cb49774640a61c3e3e75" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="cbdistillery cbd oil" data-width="1244" data-height="1244" /><p>All of the products from CBDistillery are <a href="https://ushempauthority.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">U.S. Hemp Authority Certified</a>, and for good reason. The company only uses non-GMO and pesticide-free industrial hemp that's grown organically on Colorado farms. Its hemp oils are some of the most affordable CBD products on the market, yet they still maintain a high standard of quality. CBDistillery has a wide variety of CBD potencies across its product line (ranging from 500mg to 5000mg per bottle) and offers both full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD oils to give customers a completely thc-free option.</p>
$35
FAB CBD
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjIyNS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2NDIwOTEyMn0.MlTjz096FJ0ev_-soK7_Z-FeQeJczWoeh9Qi9SSkHsY/img.jpg?width=980" id="04b26" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="76aa4862f44603242e318982acea6646" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="fab cbd oil" data-width="800" data-height="800" /><p>For an organic CBD oil that has it all, FAB CBD offers plenty of variety for any type of consumer. All of its products are made with zero pesticides and extracted from organically grown Colorado industrial hemp. FAB CBD oil comes in five all-natural flavors (mint, vanilla, berry, citrus, and natural) and is also available in four strengths (300, 600, 1200, and 2400mg per bottle).</p>
$39
NuLeaf Naturals
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjIxOS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NzExNTgyMX0.D6qMGYllKTsVhEkQ-L_GzpDHVu60a-tJKcio7M1Ssmc/img.jpg?width=980" id="94e4a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3609a52479675730893a45a82a03c71d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="nuleaf naturals organic cbd oil" data-width="600" data-height="600" /><p>As an industry-leading brand, it comes as no surprise that NuLeaf Naturals sources its CBD extract from organic hemp plants grown on licensed farms in Colorado. The comany's CBD oils only contain two ingredients: USDA certified organic hemp seed oil and full spectrum hemp extract.</p><p>NuLeaf Naturals uses one proprietary CBD oil formula for all of its products, so you will get the same CBD potency in each tincture (60mg per mL), but can purchase different bottle sizes depending on how much you intend to use.</p>
$38.50
Charlotte's Web
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDcwMjk3NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MzQ0NjM4N30.SaQ85SK10-MWjN3PwHo2RqpiUBdjhD0IRnHKTqKaU7Q/img.jpg?width=980" id="84700" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a2174067dcc0c4094be25b3472ce08c8" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="charlottes web cbd oil" data-width="1244" data-height="1244" /><p>Perhaps one of the most well-known brands in the CBD landscape, Charlotte's Web has been growing sustainable hemp plants for several years. The company is currently in the process of achieving official USDA Organic Certification, but it already practices organic and sustainable cultivation techniques to enhance the overall health of the soil and the hemp plants themselves, which creates some of the highest quality CBD extracts. Charlotte's Web offers CBD oils in a range of different concentration options, and some even come in a few flavor options such as chocolate mint, orange blossom, and lemon twist.</p>
$60
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A giraffe is seen running around the wildlife park searching for safety. Youtube screenshot
Ten animals perished in a fire Thursday at the African Safari Wildlife Park in northern Ohio, Danbury Township police said, as CNN reported.
<p>Officer Carolyn DeMore of the Danbury Township Police said that when she arrived at the blaze yesterday evening, she found a zebra running loose and one of the barns engulfed by the fire, according to the <a href="https://www.toledoblade.com/local/animals/2019/11/28/sheriff-crews-battling-fire-at-African-Safari-Wildlife-Park/stories/20191128125" target="_blank">Toledo Blade</a>. </p>
<p>Demore told reporters that three giraffes, three <a href="https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/red-river-hog" target="_blank">red river hogs</a>, three <a href="https://www.awf.org/wildlife-conservation/bongo" target="_blank">bongos</a> and a <a href="https://www.britannica.com/animal/springbok-mammal" target="_blank">springbok</a> had been inside the barn before the fire and were killed. <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/28/us/ohio-african-safari-wildlife-park-fire/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a> explained that a bongo is a large forest antelope and the springbok is a medium-sized, gazelle-like antelope.</p>
<p>Holly Hunt, who owns <a href="https://www.africansafariwildlifepark.com/" target="_blank">African Safari Wildlife Park</a> in Ottawa County along Lake Erie, confirmed DeMore's report, as <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/fire-engulfs-barn-ohio-wildlife-park-unknown-number-animals-killed-n1093186" target="_blank">NBC News</a> reported. Hunt told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/28/us/ohio-african-safari-wildlife-park-fire/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a> that there are 300 other animals in the park and they are all safe. The 100-acre wildlife park claims to be home to more than 50 different animal species including alpacas, zebras, warthogs, porcupines, tortoises, gibbons and a white alligator. The park offers walk and drive-thru safaris, as well as educational programs and hands-on activities, such as camel rides and animal feedings for rabbits, kangaroos and parakeets, according to the <a href="https://www.toledoblade.com/local/animals/2019/11/28/sheriff-crews-battling-fire-at-African-Safari-Wildlife-Park/stories/20191128125" target="_blank">Toledo Blade</a>.</p>
<p>The park was closed for Thanksgiving, so no people were injured. Hunt said that a caretaker first spotted the fire after a power flicker. The wildlife park lost power completely on Wednesday, according to to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/28/us/ohio-african-safari-wildlife-park-fire/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a>. </p>
<p>Hunt added that a zebra that was housed in an overhang outside the barn was saved. A giraffe seen fleeing the fire on social media ran into a pond. From there animal keepers and doctors were able to direct it to safety, as <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/fire-engulfs-barn-ohio-wildlife-park-unknown-number-animals-killed-n1093186" target="_blank">NBC News</a> reported. </p>
<p>"It's just gut-wrenching that this should happen," said Hunt, as <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/fire-engulfs-barn-ohio-wildlife-park-unknown-number-animals-killed-n1093186" target="_blank">NBC News</a> reported. "Our team works so hard every day to care for these animals."</p>
<p>"We are grateful that our staff is safe and no one was injured, but the loss of the wildlife that we care for every day is tragic for our team members who love these animals," said park officials on a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/africansafariwildlifepark/" target="_blank">Facebook post</a>, as the <a href="https://www.toledoblade.com/local/animals/2019/11/28/sheriff-crews-battling-fire-at-African-Safari-Wildlife-Park/stories/20191128125" target="_blank">Toledo Blade</a> reported. "The animals lost in this tragedy were part of our African Safari family, and the Park will be closed on Friday as we mourn their loss and care for the other animals living on the 100-area [sic] Park."</p>
<p>Firefighters contained the blaze on Thursday but expected to work through the night to extinguish it fully. The cause of the fire had not yet been determined, said Danbury Township Fire Chief Keith Kahler, as <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/28/us/ohio-african-safari-wildlife-park-fire/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a> reported. He added that the Ohio State Fire Marshall will arrive today to investigate and that firefighters found propane tanks stored inside the barn. </p>
<p>DeMore, who was one of the first responders on the scene, said she heard two explosions in the barn, which a firefighter suspected was the propane tanks exploding, according to <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/fire-engulfs-barn-ohio-wildlife-park-unknown-number-animals-killed-n1093186" target="_blank">NBC News</a>.</p>
<p>"We are devastated by this loss of the animals we care for every day," said Hunt who appeared to choke back tears, according to <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/fire-engulfs-barn-ohio-wildlife-park-unknown-number-animals-killed-n1093186" target="_blank">NBC News</a>. "The team is just devastated."</p>The park opened in 1969 and marked its 50th anniversary this year. Hunt has owned it since 1974.
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Reticulated giraffes wading across the shallow river at the border of the Samburu Reserve.
orientalizing / Flickr
The Parties to CITES agreed to list giraffes on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) today at the World Wildlife Conference or CoP18 in Geneva. Such protections will ensure that all giraffe parts trade were legally acquired and not sourced from the poached giraffes trade and will require countries to make non-detriment findings before allowing giraffe exports. The listing will also enable the collection of international trade data for giraffes that might justify greater protections at both CITES and other venues in the future.
<p><a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/giraffes">Giraffes</a> are undergoing a "silent extinction," declining by 40% in the past 30 years. With fewer giraffes than elephants left, they face many threats, including habitat loss, disease, poaching for bushmeat, the international giraffe parts trade, and trophy hunting. Their populations are, for the most part, small, fragmented, and widely scattered. For example, while giraffes used to range throughout much of West Africa, their only remaining population in the region consists of 425 giraffes in Niger. As such, seven of the nine giraffe subspecies have been classified as threatened with extinction by the <a href="https://www.iucn.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">International Union for the Conservation of Nature</a>.</p><p>With six giraffe range states — Central African Republic, Chad, Kenya, Mali, Niger and Senegal — <a href="https://cites.org/sites/default/files/eng/cop/18/prop/060319/E-CoP18-Prop-05.pdf" target="_blank">submitting the proposal</a>, and support from the U.S., EU, <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/giraffe-trade-restrictions-africa-eu-bones-wildlife-cites-ivory-elephants-a8803601.html" target="_blank">32 African nations</a> and leading giraffe scientists, the proposal seemed like a sure winner. However, giraffe protections weren't guaranteed until late in the game due to a suggestion from Botswana that instead of listing all giraffes, the Parties only list the populations of 13 of the 21 giraffe range states — exempting the populations of Botswana, Eswatini, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia. This kind of proposal — referred to as a "split listing" — <a href="https://www.cites.org/sites/default/files/document/E-Res-09-24-R17.pdf" target="_blank">is frowned upon by CITES</a> as law enforcement can't tell between illegal and legal species in trade, making enforcement impossible.</p>
<p>Fortunately, the global community rejected this suggestion — and supported the listing of all giraffe species. A great deal of Latin and South American countries, New Zealand, and the U.S. spoke in support of the proposal. In fact, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service gave a great statement on how U.S. import data indicates giraffe parts are coming into the U.S. and that we need more data to discern how much this threatens giraffe populations.</p><p>While we have lacked international trade data for giraffes since they weren't previously listed under CITES, U.S. data reveals trade in giraffe parts is soaring with almost 40,000 giraffe parts imported to the U.S. between 2006 and 2015—the equivalent of at least 3,751 giraffes. The most common giraffe parts seen in trade are bone carvings, raw bones, and skins. Further, a 2018 <a href="https://www.hsi.org/wp-content/uploads/assets/pdfs/giraffe-report-HSI-HSUS-082318.pdf" target="_blank">undercover investigation of the U.S. giraffe parts market</a> found a variety of products, including many knives with giraffe bone handles — which have become common in the wake of the ivory ban — and taxidermied trophies.</p><p>As a next step, we hope the U.S. — which supported the CITES giraffe proposal — will <a href="https://www.hsi.org/wp-content/uploads/assets/pdfs/giraffe_esa_petition_2017.pdf" target="_blank">list giraffes under the Endangered Species Act</a>, which they are currently considering after a <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/experts/elly-pepper/nrdc-suit-prompts-us-consider-protecting-giraffes" target="_blank">lawsuit from NRDC and our partners</a>.</p><p>With the Amazon burning and the <a href="https://www.ipbes.net/news/ipbes-global-assessment-summary-policymakers-pdf" target="_blank">IPBES Report</a> finding that one million species face extinction, we need all the good news we can get — even if it seems relatively small. Today's decision is just that.</p>
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A Masai giraffe and sunset at Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. Ayzenstayn / Moment / Getty Images
Another subspecies of giraffe is now officially endangered, conservation scientists announced Thursday.
<p>The <a href="https://www.iucn.org/" target="_blank">International Union for Conservation of Nature</a> (IUCN) <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/88421036/88421121" target="_blank">concluded</a> that Masai giraffes, which live primarily in Kenya and Tanzania, are endangered largely due to <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/poaching" target="_self">poaching</a> and habitat loss.This was the first time the subspecies had been evaluated on its own, <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2019/07/masai-giraffes-subspecies-declared-endangered/?fbclid=IwAR0GmXUF8L63AYL8CVEFGbGZbrWemlMINcV_GuB2dcgl5ydo5qx4_HOaGOA" target="_blank">National Geographic reported</a>.</p>
<p>Giraffes as a whole are classified as vulnerable, one step further away from extinction. Of the nine subspecies, two are critically endangered. One other, the Reticulated, is also considered endangered, according to <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/one-largest-subspecies-giraffes-declared-endangered-180972647/" target="_blank">Smithsonian.com</a>. The listing of the Masai is significant because, at an estimated population of 35,000, it's one of the largest subspecies left.</p><p>"This was devastating news...It really sounds the alarm bell," <a href="https://biologicaldiversity.org/" target="_blank">Center for Biological Diversity</a> (CBD) International Legal Director Tanya Sanerib told National Geographic. "It really indicates that we need to be doing more for giraffes internationally and with whatever tools are available."</p>
<div id="9fecd" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="BSDEPB1576662252"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1149361406413889537" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">BREAKING: Scientists have issued an alarming assessment of giraffes in Kenya and Tanzania, calling this key populat… https://t.co/2FV1lDt3p1</div> — Center for Bio Div (@Center for Bio Div)<a href="https://twitter.com/CenterForBioDiv/statuses/1149361406413889537">1562864088.0</a></blockquote></div><p>CBD is <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/green-groups-sue-to-get-giraffes-on-endangered-species-list--2622680004.html" target="_self">one of four</a> environmental groups that has sued the Trump administration to add giraffes as a whole to the U.S. <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/endangered-species" target="_self">endangered species</a> list in order to better regulate trophy hunting and fund conservation efforts. U.S. officials said this spring <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/giraffes-endangered-species-2636004333.html" target="_self">that giraffes may qualify</a> for protection.</p><p>Overall, the population of Masai giraffes has fallen 49 to 51 percent in 30 years, while the population of giraffes as a whole has fallen by as much as 40 percent in the same time, according to a <a href="https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/scientists-giraffes-in-kenya-tanzania-endangered-2019-07-11/" target="_blank">CBD statement</a>.</p><p>"Masai giraffes have long had a robust wild population. An endangered assessment is an eye opener that signals the critical need for giraffe protections," <a href="https://www.hsi.org/" target="_blank">Humane Society International</a> Wildlife Programs and Operations Manager Adam Peyman said in the statement.</p><p>While it is illegal to hunt Masai giraffes in both Kenya and Tanzania, poaching has increased due to political instability and a growing demand for items like jewelry from giraffe-tail hair and bone carvings, according to National Geographic. Two to 10 percent of their population in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania is hunted illegally each year. As human population expands into giraffe habitat, the animals have increasingly been struck by vehicles.</p><p>Despite their growing vulnerability, giraffes have received less attention than other iconic African mammals. Still, there are now fewer giraffes than elephants remaining on the continent.</p><p>"They're the forgotten megafauna, so to speak," <a href="https://giraffeconservation.org/" target="_blank">Giraffe Conservation Foundation</a> co-director and co-founder Julian Fennessy told National Geographic. "They've sort of slipped away, sadly, while more attention has been given to elephant, rhino, lion, and other species."</p>
<div id="4f6fe" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="O8D6R71576662252"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1151043087478722560" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Masai giraffe numbers have dropped by approx 50% in the last 30yrs, they are now considered ENDANGERED by the… https://t.co/g9LzjJ037z</div> — GCF (@GCF)<a href="https://twitter.com/Save_Giraffe/statuses/1151043087478722560">1563265032.0</a></blockquote></div><p>But Fennessy thought the IUCN status change might increase momentum behind conservation efforts.</p><p>"By identifying that they are endangered, hopefully now collaboratively with governments and partners, we can turn the tide before it's too late," Fennessy told National Geographic.</p>
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Four Animal welfare groups sued the Trump administration on Thursday for failing to protect Africa's vulnerable giraffes, Reuters reported.
<p>The groups had petitioned Interior Secretary <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/ryan-zinke" target="_self">Ryan Zinke</a> and the U.S. <a href="https://www.fws.gov/" target="_blank">Fish and Wildlife Service</a> (FWS) to list giraffes under the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/endangered-species-act" target="_self">Endangered Species Act</a> in April 2017. The FWS is supposed to respond to such petitions within 90 days, but Trump's FWS did not, triggering the law suit. </p><p>"Giraffes capture our imaginations from childhood on, but many people don't realize how few are left in the wild," <a href="https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/" target="_blank">Center for Biological Diversity</a> (CBD) International Legal Director Tanya Sanerib said in a <a href="https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2018/giraffe-12-06-2018.php" target="_blank">press release</a>. "Instead of throwing these unique animals a lifeline under the Endangered Species Act, Trump officials are twiddling their thumbs. Trump will be to blame if future generations know giraffes only as toys and not the long-necked icons of Africa."</p><p>The suit marks the 100th time the CBD has sued the Trump administration in an attempt to protect <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wildlife" target="_self">wildlife</a>, <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/public-lands" target="_self">public lands</a> and the global climate from policies hostile to all three.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="af412" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="1FPAXN1576663751"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1070830358818623488" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Today we filed our 100th lawsuit against the Trump administration — and we’re not stopping there in our fight to pr… https://t.co/JLredOEFSF</div> — Center for Bio Div (@Center for Bio Div)<a href="https://twitter.com/CenterForBioDiv/statuses/1070830358818623488">1544140827.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p>CBD is joined in the giraffe suit by the <a href="https://www.humanesociety.org/" target="_blank">Humane Society of the United States</a> (HSUS), the <a href="http://www.hsi.org/" target="_blank">Humane Society International</a> (HSI) and the <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/" target="_blank">Natural Resources Defense Council</a> (NRDC).<br></p><p>"The United States cannot stand idly by and allow thousands of U.S. imports of giraffe parts every year without any regulation while these animals are on a path to extinction. It is time that the United States stands tall for giraffes and gives this at-risk species the protection that it urgently needs," HSUS Managing Wildlife attorney Anna Frostic said in the press release. </p><p>The number of giraffes in the wild has dropped almost 40 percent in the past 30 years, to the point where there are fewer than 100,000 left. The main threats they face are habitat loss, illegal hunting for meat and human fighting, but they are also vulnerable to a trade in skins, bone carvings and trophies. Despite this, the U.S. imports more than one giraffe hunting trophy a day and imported around <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/giraffe-body-parts-for-sale-2598443415.html" target="_self">40,000 giraffe products</a> between 2006 and 2015.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="66039" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="IIWE2B1576663751"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1070694589961515010" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">It was recently determined that six of Africa’s nine giraffe subspecies are imperiled or critically endangered. Tog… https://t.co/sKtLUXfIS9</div> — NRDC 🌎 (@NRDC 🌎)<a href="https://twitter.com/NRDC/statuses/1070694589961515010">1544108457.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p>Listing giraffes as an <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/endangered-species" target="_blank">endangered species</a> would allow the U.S. to better regulate and curb the trophy trade, and free up funding to support <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/conservation" target="_self">conservation</a>. The Trump administration, however, <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/trophy-hunting-committee-trump-2548409021.html" target="_self">has put the desires of trophy hunters</a> over the needs of endangered animals before. The same four conservation groups sued the Department of Interior in August because the <a href="https://www.fws.gov/iwcc/" target="_blank">International Wildlife Conservation Council</a> that advises Zinke is filled with people who stand to benefit from expanded trophy hunting, <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2018/08/01/politics/trophy-hunting-lawsuit/index.html" target="_blank">CNN reported</a>.<br></p><p>"The Trump administration would rather allow its rich donors to mount giraffe trophies on their walls than protect giraffes," NRDC Wildlife Trade Initiative Deputy Director Elly Pepper said in the CBD release. "Giraffes are headed toward extinction, in part due to our country's importation of giraffe parts and trophies. It's shameful—though unsurprising—that the Interior Department has refused to protect them under the Endangered Species Act and I hope the courts will agree."</p>
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Lawsuit Launched to Push Trump Administration to Protect Giraffes From Extinction
18 September 2018
Animals
Pexels
Conservation groups Tuesday filed a notice of intent to sue the Trump administration for failing to respond to a legal petition to protect giraffes under the Endangered Species Act. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was required to respond to the April 2017 petition within 90 days, but nearly 17 months have passed with no finding.
<p>"As giraffe populations plummet, the Trump administration won't even take the first step toward protecting these beautiful animals," said Tanya Sanerib, international program legal director at the Center for Biological Diversity. "Africa now has fewer giraffes than elephants, but the administration refuses to throw these imperiled creatures a lifeline. That has to change, before it's too late."</p><p>The <a href="https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/species/mammals/giraffe/pdfs/Giraffe_ESA_Petition_4-18-17.pdf" target="_blank">2017 petition</a>—by the Center for Biological Diversity, Humane Society International, Humane Society of the United States, International Fund for Animal Welfare and the Natural Resources Defense Council—seeks Endangered Species Act protection for giraffes, whose populations have plummeted nearly 40 percent over the past 30 years.</p><p>Just more than 97,000 giraffes remain in the wild, and the species is gravely imperiled by habitat loss, civil unrest, hunting for meat and the international trade in bone carvings, skins and trophies. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature elevated the threat level to giraffes from "least concern" to "<a href="https://www.iucn.org/news/secretariat/201612/new-bird-species-and-giraffe-under-threat-%E2%80%93-iucn-red-list" target="_blank">vulnerable</a>" on its "Red List of Threatened Species" in 2016.</p><p>Endangered Species Act protection would help curb imports of giraffe bones and other parts, increase funding for conservation efforts in Africa and raise public awareness of the animals' plight.</p><p>The U.S. provides a large market for giraffe parts. On average, the U.S. imports about one giraffe hunting trophy a day, and the country has imported more than 21,400 giraffe bone carvings over the past decade.</p><p>"Giraffe bones are becoming the new ivory, and the United States is heavily implicated in this deadly international trade," said Sanerib. "We're a big part of the problem, and Endangered Species Act protections for giraffes would help us be part of the solution."</p><p>Known for their six-foot-long necks, distinctive patterning and long eyelashes, giraffes have captured the human imagination for centuries. New research recently revealed that they live in complex societies, much like elephants, and have unique physiological traits, including the highest blood pressure of any land mammal.</p>
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Humane Society
Conservation groups say the United States is playing a role in the significant decline of wild giraffe populations by allowing their skin, bones and other body parts to be sold on the U.S. market.
From 2006 to 2015, the U.S. imported approximately 40,000 giraffe parts and products, thought to represent nearly 4,000 individual giraffes, according to a report released Thursday by Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International.
<p style="">
The report reveals that giraffe parts and products are sold online and in stores by at least 51 dealers across the country. An undercover investigator visited 21 of these stores and found products such as giraffe leather boots, knives and carvings made from their bones, taxidermy trophies, and pillows, rugs, book covers and furniture made from skin and hide.
</p><p>
<span></span>Additionally, the report said that some of these sellers have criminal records for serious animal-related crimes, including the trafficking of rhino horn.
</p><p>
The U.S. does not prohibit the sale of such products, which is why Humane Society and
<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/giraffe-endangered-species-protection-2368848858.html">other conservation organizations</a> are petitioning the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list the giraffe as "<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/endangered-species">endangered</a>" under the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/endangered-species-act">Endangered Species Act</a> to restrict the import, export and sale of giraffe specimens in the U.S.
</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="3ddcf" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="6HCP6X1576683803"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1032648580002131968" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Take action now! Please sign the petition to list giraffes as endangered under the Endangered Species Act, which wo… https://t.co/rKAyp7f6XH</div> — The Humane Society of the United States (@The Humane Society of the United States)<a href="https://twitter.com/HumaneSociety/statuses/1032648580002131968">1535037581.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p>
Africa's giraffe population has
<a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/attachments/37" target="_blank">declined by 40 percent</a> in the past 30 years, from 150,000 in 1985 to less than 100,000 individuals today. Their decline has been attributed to habitat loss, hunting for meat and <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/poaching" target="_blank">poaching</a>. In December 2016, the International Union for Conservation of Nature moved the mammal's conservation status from "least concern" to "vulnerable" on its Red List of Threatened Species.
</p><p style="">
On average,
<a href="http://www.hsi.org/assets/pdfs/giraffe_esa_petition_2017.pdf" target="_blank">more than one giraffe per day</a> is imported into the U.S. by American trophy hunters, Humane Society said in a <a href="http://www.humanesociety.org/news/press_releases/2018/08/undercover-investigation.html" target="_blank">press release</a>, adding that increased demand for giraffe specimens in the U.S. is fueling more killing of the vulnerable species.
</p><p>
<span></span>Hunting advocates <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/big-game-hunter-dead-giraffe-2583505970.html">contend</a> that hunting big game provides local economies with funds for wildlife conservation programs. In a comment to the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/23/science/giraffe-sales-humane-society.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fclimate&action=click&contentCollection=climate&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront" target="_blank">New York Times</a>, Safari Club International said that "despite the rhetoric in the media, legal regulated hunting is one of the most effective means of conservation."
</p><p style="">
But killing giraffes for trophies, accessories and trinkets adds to the major threats causing the species to decline, according to Kitty Block, acting president and CEO of Humane Society U.S. and president of its international arm.
</p><p style="">
"Purchasing giraffe parts puts the entire species at risk. The giraffe is going quietly extinct. With the wild population at just under 100,000, there are now fewer than one third the number of giraffes in Africa than elephants," Block said in a statement.
</p><p>
"We urge the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list the giraffe as endangered under the Endangered Species Act to help combat this trade and reduce population declines before it's too late," she said.
</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="468a5" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="V9THVB1576683804"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="917893792119783426" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Conservationists Sound Alarm on Plummeting Giraffe Numbers https://t.co/sxmfbcM9Ni @environmentca @wwf_uk</div> — EcoWatch (@EcoWatch)<a href="https://twitter.com/EcoWatch/statuses/917893792119783426">1507677908.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p>
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Tess Thompson Talley of Kentucky has sparked public outcry after photos of her proudly posing with a black giraffe she killed in South Africa last year went viral.
The big game hunter posted images of the June 2017 hunt onto her social media page. Then last month, the South Africa-based news outlet Africland tweeted out the images with a missive describing Talley as a "White American savage" for shooting down the "very rare" animal.
<p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="329e9" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="PGPM3G1576662167"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1008018728879992833" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">White american savage who is partly a neanderthal comes to Africa and shoot down a very rare black giraffe coutrsey… https://t.co/sdtdU7Ij29</div> — AfricaDigest (@AfricaDigest)<a href="https://twitter.com/africlandpost/statuses/1008018728879992833">1529165367.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p>
Talley's original post of the photos, which she has since deleted, contained the caption: "Prayers for my once in a lifetime dream hunt came true today! Spotted this rare black giraffe bull and stalked him for quite a while. I knew it was the one. He was over 18 years old, 4000 lbs. and was blessed to be able to get 2000 lbs. of meat from him."
</p><p>
The images have drawn global outrage, including searing criticism from comedian and animal advocate Ricky Gervais, who wrote on Twitter that the African giraffe population has <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/plummeting-giraffe-numbers-2495243527.html">dropped significantly</a> and face extinction. About 100,000 are left on the continent.
</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="5debf" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="70TG591576662167"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1009519816762372096" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Giraffes are now on the 'red list' of endangerment due to a 40% decline over the last 25 years. They could become e… https://t.co/8QLtkgADoy</div> — Ricky Gervais (@Ricky Gervais)<a href="https://twitter.com/rickygervais/statuses/1009519816762372096">1529523254.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p>
In a blistering <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BkgdxyfnWN1/" target="_blank">Instagram post</a>, actress Debra Messing also called Talley a "disgusting, vile, amoral, heartless, selfish murderer."
</p><p>
<span></span>Talley has defended herself, telling <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/giraffe-killed-by-american-woman-tess-thompson-talley-sparks-outrage/" target="_blank">CBS News</a> in a statement that the hunt was legal and permitted and the giraffe was more than 18 years old and "beyond breeding age, yet had killed 3 younger bulls ... Now that the giraffe is gone, the younger bulls are able to breed."
</p><p>
"This is called conservation through game management," she said.
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Paul Babaz, the president of the hunting advocacy group Safari Club International, also defended Talley. He said that the fee for a hunting giraffe is about $2,000 to $3,000 per animal, which provides financial help for the local community.
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<span></span>"Without that … the poachers will come in and kill the animals indiscriminately, which is very unfortunate," Babaz told CBS News.
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Gervais previously wrote in a 2015 <a href="https://www.facebook.com/rickygervais/posts/i%E2%80%99m-sick-of-trophy-hunters/331943360263357/" target="_blank">Facebook post</a> that he's "sick of trophy hunters trying to excuse their grim sport by saying they provide a service."
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</p><div id="2ea02" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="R2XCKO1576662168"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="854768391399383042" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Earth’s Tallest Land Animal Needs Endangered Species Protection https://t.co/PoxOd9EvQp @CenterForBioDiv @NRDC @HumaneSociety @action4ifaw</div> — EcoWatch (@EcoWatch)<a href="https://twitter.com/EcoWatch/statuses/854768391399383042">1492627639.0</a></blockquote></div>
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By Rina Herzl
Picture an animal enrobed in a fiery, jigsaw-patterned coat. A creature of such majestic height that it towers amongst the trees. As your eyes make their way up its long neck that appears to defy gravity, you find crowned atop its head two Seussian, horn-like protrusions framing dark, curious eyes fanned by lashes. In its truest sense, the giraffe fits the description of a creature plucked from the pages of a fantastical story. Even its species name, Giraffa camelopardalis, comes from the ancient Greek belief that the giraffe is a peculiar camel wearing the coat of a leopard. Meanwhile, the Japanese word for giraffe and unicorn are one and the same.
Today, we continue to walk the Earth with these awe-inspiring creatures, which range across much of Africa. But giraffes are facing what many are calling a "silent extinction." Public awareness and global action is critically due. "These gentle giants have been overlooked," appeals Sir David Attenborough in BBC's Story of Life documentary series aired in late 2016, urging that "time is running out."
<p>As word begins to get out about the difficulty giraffes are facing, a small, committed cohort are fighting for the species. They are working diligently in the field to learn more about the animals and their populations, cooperating with governments to preserve land giraffes depend on, and collaborating with communities to conserve their <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wildlife">wildlife</a>. Meanwhile, others are championing for giraffes on the legal frontlines, advocating for further protections. In particular, wildlife advocates have called for great protections at the international level, as well as domestic restrictions on trade in giraffe parts in the U.S.</p><p>The sharp decline of giraffe numbers over the past three decades led to an official change in their conservation status in December 2016, when the giraffe was "uplisted" from Least Concern status to Vulnerable—more specifically, "Vulnerable to Extinction" in the wild—on the <a href="https://www.iucn.org/" target="_blank">International Union for Conservation of Nature's</a> (IUCN) Red List. (Listings under the IUCN don't come with specific protections, but provide valuable information about species' status as well as attention to the threats they face). In making the decision, the IUCN cited an ongoing population decline of 36 to 40 percent between 1985 and 2015. This represents a change from approximately 106,191 to 114,416 mature individuals in 1985 down to 68,293 in 2015. (It's important to note that this population count is of mature individual giraffes, as giraffe reproduction is inherently slow to replace lost population. A long gestation period of 15 months typically yields only one calf, and those calves are vulnerable to predation by wild dogs, hyenas, leopards and lions. Approximately 50 to 75 percent of all young giraffes perish due to predation, one of the highest mortality rates among animals).</p><p>Giraffes' updated IUCN conservation listing is "a wake-up call," said Tanya Sanerib, a senior attorney at the <a href="http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/" target="_blank">Center for Biological Diversity</a>. "Giraffe scientists and conservation NGOs are all working to raise awareness of the giraffe crisis and prevent it." </p><p>One of these efforts is currently playing out in the U.S. where the giraffe is not currently protected by law. In April 2017, the Center for Biological Diversity, Humane Society International, The Humane Society of the United States, International Fund for Animal Welfare and Natural Resources Defense Council filed a legal petition to protect giraffes under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA). An endangered listing under the ESA would come with a ban on most imports and sales of giraffe trophies, bone carvings and other giraffe "products." A listing would also send an urgent message to the world community to protect this majestic species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has not yet responded to the petition, though the 90-day period within which the agency is supposed to respond has passed.</p><p>"The Endangered Species Act is one of the most effective tools for species conservation," said Sanerib. "Given the significant imports to the U.S. of giraffe bones, bone carvings, skins, and trophies, the U.S. is undeniably a part of the decline of giraffes and an ESA-listing would raise awareness about this fact and increase scrutiny of our imports."</p><p>Aggregate giraffe populations are on a downward trend in Africa, but some of the nine giraffe subspecies are suffering worse than others. The Masai giraffe population, the tallest of the subspecies with a darker star-shaped pattern coat, halved between 1985 and 2015. The number of reticulated giraffes, which live in the horn of Africa and have a bright neatly-patterned coat, declined nearly 80 percent in the same period. Roughly 400 West African giraffe remain in Niger and Nubian giraffe number at only 650. Today, giraffes have become extirpated or locally extinct in at least seven African countries and have vanished from most of West Africa. It's not all bad news, though: Certain populations, including ones in Tanzania and and South Africa, are growing due to breeding for legal game hunting and tourism.</p><p>Biologists have found that, unlike other species, giraffe will not associate or interbreed between subspecies. For example, in Kenya, three species coexist, the Masai, Reticulated and Nubian giraffe, and though they may encounter one another they each maintain a unique genetic makeup and do not interbreed. Dr. Julian Fennessy comments that giraffe are "so much more unique than many other species out there that do interbreed and have viable offspring."</p><p>This brings into focus that: While giraffe populations are plummeting, scientists are still making discoveries about giraffes. For example, giraffes are currently recognized as one species with nine subspecies. Each subspecies visually distinguishable by their different coat patterns. This understanding, however, may be changing: Recent scientific analyses suggest that giraffes may be four or even up to nine distinct species. Kirstie Rupport, who works on giraffe conservation in Kenya for San Diego Zoo Global, believes giraffes are finally gaining "heightened conservation attention" given these recent discoveries. She reminds us that this research "shines a light on how little we know about a species that is so iconic and how little we know relative to other big species."</p><p>These genetic findings could be cause to separate the species taxonomically. Once separated, those species facing greater threats would merit protections under international law, including endangered or critically endangered listings on the IUCN Red List. In 2007, Dr. David Brown, a biologist who did an extensive genetic study on giraffe, said that "lumping all giraffes into one species obscures the reality that some kinds of giraffe are on the brink. Some of these populations number only a few hundred individuals and need immediate protection." Ten years later, international protection is still lacking.</p><p>Changing their classification, however, won't be easy. Should it happen, it will "be a very slow process and more work on classical taxonomy will be required before initiating this change," said Stephanie Fennessy, co-director of the <a href="https://giraffeconservation.org/" target="_blank">Giraffe Conservation Foundation</a>.</p><p>So, what is ultimately causing the decline of giraffe populations? As with species the world over: human-created pressures. Giraffe declines across the continent are tied to to habitat loss, civil unrest, illegal hunting and <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/poaching">poaching</a>, and ecological changes (like those related to mining activity and <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/climate-change/">climate change</a>). In each country and region, the specific threats vary.</p><p>With respect to habitat, Rupport points to "the need for conservation partnerships, both in the private and public sectors to protect those large tracts of land, not just for giraffes, but also for the many African megafauna that really need it in order to survive." Coexistence between humans and wildlife is a palpable issue in biodiverse regions across the globe. Giraffes are a species that do little to disrupt human livelihood in these regions and even still the "establishment of community conservancies [in Kenya] really has given a lot of hope for coexistence between pastoralist people in this region and wildlife," Rupport said.</p><p>In Uganda, there is a growing interest in oil exploration, right in the heart of giraffe range. As a preventative measure, Giraffe Conservation Foundation and the Uganda Wildlife Authority "translocated" or moved 18 Rothschild's and Nubian giraffes across the Nile in 2016, to protect giraffes from the potential impacts of prospective oil mining.</p><p>In Kenya, an ongoing drought is posing a problem. No longer an issue reserved for polar bears living at the edge of the planet, climate change is now impacting giraffes as well by exacerbating drought conditions. Across Africa and other parts of the world, climate change impacts vegetation through desertification—a process by which fertile land becomes desert—negatively impacting people and wildlife alike. Rupport described that "[This] past year Kenya really faced an extreme drought and is still in the midst of it." She added, "When [giraffes] face extreme drought in these places the regeneration of grass for livestock and for wildlife species is really compromised." This not only impacts availability of food for wildlife, but also that for humans, and can lead communities to resort to hunting wildlife for bushmeat, as found by Rupport and Derek Lee of the Wild Nature Institute. As well, with smaller ungulates perishing due to increased drought, lion predation increases on giraffe young. Rupport states "climate change—at least, extreme drought and connecting that to climate change—is one of the most pressing challenges in this region that we're facing on a daily basis."</p><p>"Across central Africa and parts of eastern Africa poaching has been a really big threat in recent years," said Dr. Julian Fennessy. In Kenya and Tanzania giraffes are experiencing dramatic increases in illegal killing for their meat as well as for trophies. These are regions in which giraffe numbers are already under considerable strain, and illegal hunting is emerging as a real threat to the species. <a href="http://www.traffic.org/" target="_blank">TRAFFIC</a>, a leading NGO working globally on the trade of wild animals and plants, is prioritizing giraffes in their investigative work and is planning "to carry out work on giraffe trade in parts of East Africa, in response to the rising number of reports we've encountered of giraffe parts in trade." And though illegal hunting is becoming a greater issue, many advocates, including Sanerib, argue that legal hunting is also contributing to the decline of giraffes.</p><p>Legal trophy hunting for all species continues to give rise to heated debate in the conservation community regarding whether it is a viable conservation tool. "If well-managed, trophy hunting is a form of sustainable use that can provide direct income and benefits from wildlife resources to local communities," said Dr. Richard Thomas of TRAFFIC. The key term to question here is whether it is "well-managed." However, evidence is mounting against hunting as a conservation tool. <a href="http://www.ifaw.org/united-states/resource-centre/200-million-question-how-much-does-trophy-hunting-contribute-african-communities" target="_blank">Research suggests</a> that little money made from big game hunting actually goes to local communities and the amount dedicated to conservation efforts itself is negligible. That same study found that trophy hunting makes up as little as 1.8 percent of tourism revenues across the continent. <a href="https://conservationaction.co.za/resources/reports/effects-trophy-hunting-five-africas-iconic-wild-animal-populations-six-countries-analysis/" target="_blank">Growing evidence</a> also suggests that legal trophy hunting can compromise the genetic health of a species and that it engenders illegal hunting and wildlife crime. (Read more about the debate on <a href="http://www.earthisland.org/journal/index.php/eij/article/shoot_to_save/" target="_blank">legal hunting as a conservation tool here</a>).</p><p>What conservationists agree on is that urgent action is needed for the protection giraffes. Currently, giraffes are not internationally protected by trade laws or by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). CITES regulates and restricts the international trade of threatened species; as giraffes are listed as Vulnerable, they just miss the mark to gain protection, despite the fact that some subspecies on the brink. "Giraffes are not protected under CITES and we know that the U.S. is a significant importer of giraffe trophies," said Sanerib. Between 2006 and 2015, an average of 374 giraffe trophies were imported into the US per year. That is more than a giraffe a day.</p><p>The Center for Biological Diversity and their petition co-sponsors believe protection under the ESA is critical. "The U.S. is undeniably a part of the decline of giraffes and an ESA-listing would raise awareness about this fact and increase scrutiny of our imports," said Sanerib.</p><p>And this fall, the Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species will decide whether to protect giraffes, which periodically and cyclically cross international borders or did so historically, under that convention. Angola proposes listing giraffes on CMS Appendix II, which would require the establishment of agreements to protect and restore species habitat.</p><p>Though there is much to be done, it seems considerable strides are being made to learn more about giraffes and to protect them, from enacting greater legal protection and employing concerted anti-poaching measures to improving land-use planning and developing stewardship programs with local communities.</p><p>"I think giraffes capture our imaginations to begin with, but the more we learn about these animals the more fascinating they become," said Sanerib. "Raising awareness about the decline of giraffes is so important, we have to halt their decline before it is too late."</p><p>This is just the beginning of a giraffe recovery. With growing concern over their decline will hopefully propel the public to call on NGOs, governments, scientists, communities and advocates to come together to protect and elevate this remarkable species so that it may thrive on our planet once again.</p><p> <em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="http://www.earthisland.org/journal/index.php/elist/eListRead/conservationists_sound_alarm_on_plummenting_giraffe_numbers/" target="_blank">Earth Island Journal</a>.</em></p>
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Two white reticulated giraffes, a mother and her calf, were captured on camera at the Ishaqbini Hirola Conservacy in Kenya.
Their creamy coloring is due to a genetic condition called leucism, in which there is partial loss of pigmentation in an animal's skin, hair, feathers, scales or cuticle, but not the eyes.
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The Hirola Conservation Programme, an NGO which manages the area, wrote in a <a href="http://www.hirolaconservation.org/index.php/component/k2/item/24-another-white-leucistic-giraffe-sighting-in-the-hirola-s-range" target="_blank">blog post</a> that the giraffes were first spotted by a local villager.
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"They were so close and extremely calm and seemed not disturbed by our presence," the post states. "'The mother kept pacing back and forth a few yards in front of us while signalling the baby giraffe to hide behind the bushes."
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According to the post, the only two known sightings of white giraffes have been made in Kenya and Tanzania: "The very first reports of a white giraffe in the wild was reported in January 2016 in Tarangire National park, Tanzania; a second sighting was again reported in March 2016 in Ishaqbini conservancy, Garissa county, Kenya."
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Reports say this is <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/sep/14/rare-white-giraffes-spotted-kenya-conservation-area" target="_blank">the first time</a> these animals have been filmed on camera. The conservancy first shared video on YouTube last month, but the clip is now going viral. YouTube commenters have expressed concern that sharing the animals' location could attract potential poachers.
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It is unknown how many white giraffes roam the Earth, but Africa's giraffe population as a whole has <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/giraffe-endangered-species-protection-2368848858.html" target="_blank">plunged almost 40 percent</a> in the past 30 years and now stands at just more than 97,000 individuals due to habitat loss, hunting for meat and the international trade in bone carvings and trophies.
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Photo credit: Center for Biological Diversity
In response to recent scientific consensus on giraffes' vulnerability to extinction, five wildlife protection groups today petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect Earth's tallest land animal under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.
<p>The <a href="http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/species/mammals/giraffe/pdfs/Giraffe_ESA_Petition_4-18-17.pdf" target="_blank">legal petition</a>, filed by the Center for Biological Diversity, Humane Society International, The Humane Society of the United States, International Fund for Animal Welfare and Natural Resources Defense Council, seeks <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/endangered-species">"endangered" status</a> for the species. Facing mounting threats from habitat loss, hunting for meat and the international trade in bone carvings and trophies, Africa's giraffe population has plunged almost 40 percent in the past 30 years and now stands at just more than 97,000 individuals. <br><br>"Giraffes have been dying off silently for decades, and now we have to act quickly before they disappear forever," said Tanya Sanerib, a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity. "There are now fewer giraffes than elephants in Africa. It's time for the United States to step up and protect these extraordinary creatures."</p><p>New research recently prompted the International Union for the Conservation of Nature to elevate the threat level of giraffes from "least concern" to "vulnerable" on its "Red List of Threatened Species." Yet giraffes have no protection under U.S. law. Species designated as "endangered" under the U.S. Endangered Species Act receive strict protections, including a ban on most imports and sales. The U.S. plays a major role in the giraffe trade, importing more than 21,400 bone carvings, 3,000 skin pieces and 3,700 hunting trophies over the past decade. Limiting U.S. import and trade will give giraffes important protections.</p><p><span></span>"Previously, the public was largely unaware that trophy hunters were targeting these majestic animals for trophies and selfies. In the past few years, several gruesome images of <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/poaching">trophy hunters</a> next to slain giraffe bodies have caused outrage, bringing this senseless killing to light," said Masha Kalinina, international trade policy specialist with the wildlife department of Humane Society International.</p><p>"Currently, no U.S. or international law protects giraffes against overexploitation for trade. It is clearly time to change this. As the largest importer of trophies in the world, the role of the United States in the decline of this species is undeniable, and we must do our part to protect these animals."</p><p><span></span>Known for their six-foot-long necks, distinctive patterning and long eyelashes, giraffes have captured the human imagination for centuries. New research recently revealed that they live in complex societies, much like elephants, and have unique physiological traits, including the highest blood pressure of any land mammal.</p><p><span></span>"I was lucky enough to study giraffes in the wild in Kenya many years ago. Back then, they seemed plentiful, and we all just assumed that it would stay that way," said Jeff Flocken, North American regional director for the International Fund for Animal Welfare.</p><p>"Giraffes are facing a crisis. We cannot let these amazing, regal and unique creatures go extinct—it would be a dramatic loss of <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/biodiversity">diversity</a> and beauty for our planet. This listing petition is rallying the world to help save the giraffe."</p><p><span></span>The IUCN currently recognizes one species of giraffes and nine subspecies: West African, Kordofan, Nubian, reticulated, Masai, Thornicroft's, Rothchild's, Angolan and South African. Today's petition seeks an endangered listing for the whole species.</p><p><span></span>"I can't—and won't—imagine Africa's landscape without giraffes," said Elly Pepper, deputy director of NRDC's wildlife trade initiative.</p><p>"Losing one of the continent's iconic species would be an absolute travesty. Giving giraffes Endangered Species Act protections would be a giant step in the fight to save them from extinction."</p><p><span></span>The Fish and Wildlife Service has 90 days to review and respond to the petition and determine whether a listing may be warranted.</p>
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