Feds propose adding giraffes to the endangered species list

(CN) — Federal wildlife officials proposed adding an iconic animal of the African savanna to the endangered species list.

Three subspecies of giraffe are at threat of extinction as myriad threats, including poaching, urban encroachment and drought caused by climate change have caused populations to plummet since the 1980s, according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Two other subspecies are threatened or likely to become endangered, the service said.

Federal protections proposed Wednesday would tighten regulations on importing giraffes and their parts while providing funding for conservation efforts in range countries across sub-Saharan Africa.

“Federal protections for giraffes will help protect a vulnerable species, foster biodiversity, support ecosystem health, combat wildlife trafficking, and promote sustainable economic practices,” Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams said in a statement.

The agency’s decision comes more than eight years after the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) determined giraffes were vulnerable to extinction. In 1985, there were more than 150,000 giraffes in Africa, according to the IUCN. That number dwindled to about 98,000 by 2018.

Giraffes, the tallest land-bound animals alive today, also face threats from deforestation, mining and civil unrest that destroy their habitat. Poachers hunt the animal for their spotted coats and bones while droughts create brush fires and sap water sources.

In response to the IUCN’s finding, conservation groups in the United States petitioned Fish and Wildlife to bolster protections for giraffes under the Endangered Species Act.

But the agency dithered, according to the Center for Biological Diversity, forcing the nonprofits to sue in 2021 for failing to make a timely listing decision. As part of a settlement, Fish and Wildlife agreed to review the status of the giraffe and issue a decision by Nov. 7 on its status.

The agency found that three subspecies, the West African, Kordofan and Nubian giraffes, are endangered, with their combined population falling 77% since 1985, from about 26,000 to just 6,000 giraffes. Two other subspecies, the reticulated and Masai giraffes, are threatened, the agency determined.

The Center for Biological Diversity applauded Wednesday’s proposed rule but chided the agency for the delay.

“The proposed protections are good news for giraffes, but it’s tragic that it took seven years to get here,” Tanya Sanerib, the center’s international legal director, said in a statement. “U.S. officials should be racing like a cheetah to fight the global extinction crisis, but they’re actually moving at a snail’s pace to protect imperiled wildlife.”

A 2018 investigation by the Humane Society found 40,000 giraffe parts and products were imported into the United States during a 10-year period. American trophy hunters largely supplied the market, selling skins and bones that were turned into boots and gun grips.

Nicholas Arrivo, managing attorney for Humane Society International and its U.S. branch, said in a statement he hoped the proposed rules would curb the “deplorable” business.

“It’s about time that these magnificent animals are close to finally getting the protections they deserve,” Arrivo said.

Wednesday’s decision opens a 90-day comment period on the proposed rule. A final decision is expected within a year.

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