Giraffe populations are declining at such an alarming rate — from habitat loss, poaching, urbanization and climate change-fueled drought — that US wildlife officials announced a proposal on Wednesday to help protect several of the species.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service proposed listing many giraffe species as either endangered or threatened.
It’s the first time the long-necked mammals, native to Africa, would receive federal protections under the Endangered Species Act.
Declaring a species “endangered” is the most severe level of threat under the law, indicating the species is at immediate risk of extinction.
The US has become a significant market for giraffe parts and products, importing nearly 40,000 for at least a decade-long period, a 2018 report showed.
Persons:
Martha Williams
Organizations:
CNN, and Wildlife Service
Locations:
Africa, “, United States, Kordofan, East Africa