The tallest creatures on the planet, giraffes, are well-known for their distinctive necks and bodies with brown and white patterns. But since the 1980s, their population has decreased by around 40%, leaving only over 69,000 individuals. The US is set to list giraffes under the Endangered Species Act as part of ongoing efforts to protect these iconic animals.

Giraffes are mostly threatened by the loss of their habitat brought on by the expansion of farms and human settlements, as well as by severe droughts associated with the climate crisis. Poaching has also placed a serious strain on giraffe numbers, as they are hunted for traditional medicine, bushmeat, and trophies.

In 2018, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classified several giraffe subspecies as critically endangered. The US Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed that the US to list giraffes under the Endangered Species Act, aiming to add five subspecies of giraffes to the list of endangered species.

Proposed Federal Protections to Regulate Trade in Giraffe Parts

The United States is a major market for giraffe-related goods, including hunting trophies, furniture, carpets, footwear, and Bible covers. After it is finalized, the Endangered Species Act designation will require licenses to import giraffe parts into the United States.

The new government laws are intended to support sustainable economic activities, fight wildlife trafficking, and increase biodiversity. The US Fish and Wildlife Service has announced that it would label three northern giraffe subspecies—which are located in Chad, Cameroon, Niger, and Uganda—as endangered. Since 1985, they have lost 77% of their population, leaving 5,919 individuals. It is also suggested that the Masai and reticulated giraffes of East Africa be included in the list of endangered species.

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Public Comment Period and Conservation Challenges

A public comment period will close on February 19, 2025, and the proposed listing will be finalized within a year. After reviewing the submissions, the Fish and Wildlife Service will publish the final rule. The plan has been praised by conservationists, who have noted that it took seven years of advocacy to get to this position.

In its 2017 petition for giraffe protection, the Centre for Biological Diversity drew attention to the ongoing importation of giraffe parts into the United States, including tails, skins, and bones. Tanya Sanerib, the Center’s international legal director, stated, “These gentle giants are suffering a silent extinction.”

Compared to a 2019 CITES rule that sought to control international trading in giraffe parts but was deemed unsuccessful, the proposed listing under the Endangered Species Act offers better conservation safeguards. The executive director of the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, Stephanie Fennessy, stressed that raising money and awareness is essential to preserving all four giraffe species in the wild.

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