Usually, when we think of ‘giraffes’, we imagine orange-spotted ones. But did you know that there are giraffes that are white from head to toe?

In fact, there is no separate species of white giraffe. It is said that they are giraffes that have been born with a genetic disorder. The birth of a white giraffe is due to a rare genetic disorder called leucism, which causes a loss of pigmentation throughout the body except for the eyes. Until 2020, there were only three white giraffes on Earth. Two were killed by poachers, leaving only one. Kenya's Wildlife Service is monitoring the only remaining white giraffe by attaching a GPS to its horn.

But it wasn’t just the white giraffe that was in danger of extinction. The common giraffe that we know is also an endangered species.

The giraffe is classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Giraffes are listed as Vulnerable (VU) and are at a high risk of becoming extinct in the wild within months or years. Currently, there are about 68,000 giraffes living around the world. The giraffe population has decreased by more than 90% compared to 100 years ago. The giraffe population is still declining.

Giraffes, which were widely distributed in African regions such as Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Kenya, and Tanzania, have already gone extinct in some African countries. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) announced in 2020 that giraffes had gone extinct in seven African countries, including Senegal, Nigeria, and Guinea. If this continues, we may no longer be able to see giraffes in other countries where they still exist.

The biggest reason for the giraffe’s endangerment is the loss of their habitat. The giraffe’s habitat, the vast grasslands, has decreased due to human development and environmental destruction caused by climate change. Due to the loss of their habitat, giraffes have lost their living space and food. Tall giraffes live by eating leaves from tall trees, but humans have cleared the grasslands and cut down trees, leaving giraffes without food. Activities such as fencing off grasslands and operating farms have also affected giraffes. Although giraffes are tall, they can’t jump over fences and are unable to freely roam around to find habitat. Some giraffes do venture out to distant places, but sometimes they get hit by cars while crossing highways built by humans.

When giraffes’ habitats shrink, they are forced to live in small numbers. In this situation, if they reproduce, giraffes with genetically weak traits are more likely to be born. This would lead to the loss of genetic diversity among giraffes, making it less likely for giraffes to escape extinction in the future.

Poaching by humans is another factor threatening giraffes. There is a lack of awareness about the endangered status of giraffes, and they haven’t been listed as endangered for very long, so many people are unaware of the seriousness of the situation and illegally hunt giraffes. There are many poachers who target giraffes in the United States because it is not illegal to trade giraffe bones or skin. The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has argued that illegal giraffe trade should be stopped due to the giraffe’s endangered status.

Due to climate change, there have been times when large amounts of rain have fallen on the giraffe’s habitat. If giraffes are caught in torrential rain, they are at risk of death. As heavy rainfall leads to an increase in parasites and other microorganisms, giraffes are also at a greater risk of contracting diseases. Also, plants that grow rapidly due to heavy rainfall are deficient in nutrients and can affect the nutritional status of giraffes. Conversely, frequent droughts caused by climate change are also one of the factors that plague giraffes.

The reasons for the giraffe’s endangerment are complex. However, the most important factor is the decline of their habitat. It seems that there is a need for cooperation between environmental organizations and African governments to protect giraffe habitats.