A small light is on for one of the world’s endangered species. A new study, published by a number of researchers in the scientific journal Imperiled: The Encyclopedia of Conservation, shows that the giraffe population is 20 percent higher than assumed in 2015. Better protection The number of giraffes has increased. Here, programs have been put in place to protect the animals have been of great help in getting the giraffe population to grow again. For example, giraffe populations have been moved to reserves in Niger, Chad and Uganda, where the animals have improved conditions. Although the survey estimated Africa’s giraffes around 117,000, which is significantly better than in 2015, the giraffe population has declined in recent decades. And giraffes are today categorized as “vulnerable” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s red list of endangered species. Giraffes are particularly threatened by poaching, illegal hunting and habitat loss, for example due to deforestation or climate change. Still, there is hope, says environmental researcher from the organization Giraffe Conservation Foundation and Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Virginia Michael Brown, co-author of the study. – When conditions are good for giraffes, they can come back in incredible ways. All they need is a chance, he said in an interview with National Geographic. One spot, two spots, three spots In addition to protecting the giraffes, better opportunities to count the giraffes have also had an effect on the increase in the population. Because it helps to keep your tongue straight in your mouth when counting Africa’s giraffe population. In the past, researchers have counted the animals from planes. But even if the long-legged giants fill part of the landscape, it can be difficult to spot the brown spots from the air. This may have meant that not all giraffes were counted. But a new approach where computer programs can scan and recognize giraffes for their unique spot patterns has made it much easier. In this way, researchers can now get a more accurate picture of the giraffe population.
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The brown-spotted giant returns
