In the United States, everybody loves giraffes, despite the fact that the giraffe's native habitat is the semi-arid savannah and savannah woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa. However, that is not stopping our government from placing giraffes on the U.S. Endangered Species list, the Guardian reported.
What's happening?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service moved to list giraffes under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, offering them legal protections that would hopefully limit the ability of poachers to make money off them.
The move makes sense, as the United States is one of the top destinations for items made from poached giraffes, which are known for their distinctive patterns. Before they were placed on the Endangered Species List, buying giraffe-skin products in the U.S. was completely legal.
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"Federal protections for giraffes will help protect a vulnerable species, foster biodiversity, support ecosystem health, combat wildlife trafficking, and promote sustainable economic practices," Martha Williams, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said in the Guardian report. "This action supports giraffe conservation while ensuring the United States does not contribute further to their decline."
Why is saving the giraffes important?
According to a 2023 study published in the journal Global Change Biology, these types of protections — which target poachers and protect the giraffe's natural habitat — are exactly what is needed to save giraffes.
In addition to being an iconic species that would be greatly missed were it to go extinct, giraffes play an important role in their ecosystem, pruning vegetation and helping with seed dispersal. As with any native species, losing the giraffe would cause ripple effects that would harm many other species.
What's being done about poachers?
The inclusion of the giraffes on the U.S. Endangered Species list means anyone importing giraffe parts to the U.S. will require a permit — hopefully, making it much more difficult to move their ill-gotten wares.
In Africa, officials and park rangers are also improving their methods of catching poachers, including using e-bikes for stealth.
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