February 24, 2021

S2:E3

A Tall Order – Protecting Wild Giraffes with The Giraffe Conservation Foundation

WHERE TO LISTEN:

in this episode

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When most people think of wildlife species in Africa that need protection, they often think of lions, elephants, and rhinos.  Even an Animalia favorite, the pangolin, is finally getting some of recognition and support.
However we often don’t think of giraffes.  Yet, we love giraffes. They are popular gifts for kids and one of the most shareable images on social media.  Those shares just don’t seem to come alongside advocacy for protection.  Well here are some telling facts:
  • Giraffe numbers have dipped from 155,000 to just 110,000 in the last 30 years
  • There are 4 elephants for every 1 giraffe in the wild today
  • Giraffes have lost 89% of their natural habitat in the last 300 years
So today, in this episode we sit down with Stephanie and Julian Fennessey, co-founders of The Giraffe Conservation Foundation, to discuss this species in depth and what needs to be done to protect them.  GCF is headquartered in Namibia but actually operates in 15 different countries in Africa. They have been leaders in complicated translocations, empowering local communities, and started an open resource library for all of those who work in the field.  
If you love Giraffes, you’ll love this episode. And if you want to support GCF, please donate here.  Or you can pick up your very own Animalia Giraffe Tee, as proceeds are shared with GCF 🙂
EPISODE NOTES:
1:30 State of Play for Giraffe Today
15:30 How Stephanie & Julian started GCF
23:24 Giraffe Translocation as a means of Conservation
36:45 Working within the politics of Wildlife Conservation in Africa
49:25 Empowering Locals to do the Conservation Work