Giraffes and other Vulnerable African Animals

Earlier this week, Mary and I had the opportunity to see the documentary film “The Woman who Loves Giraffes”. The documentary is excellent, and the subject of the documentary, Dr. Anne Dagg, spoke following the film. One of the themes covered in the film and in her comments was the disappearance of giraffes.  Her original work was done in 1956 when giraffes were relatively abundant. Their decline has been alarming. It is estimated that the world population of giraffes has diminished by 40% since 1988 alone.  This species is now on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List of species at risk of extinction, officially categorized as “Vulnerable”.  Mary and I had the opportunity to see giraffes in 2008 when I was working on a project in South Africa, visiting a protected reserve, Madikwe, which is in South Africa bordering Botswana. Today, I revisited pictures taken there and in Kruger National Park. Some of these photos are attached. Every species shown in the following set of pictures is on the IUCN Red List!  The reasons for the decline of most of these species varies little from one to the other; habitat loss, trophy hunting, hunting in general. Will my grand children ever have the chance to see these animals in the wild?

White rhinoceros, Kruger NP; IUCN Classification – “Vulnerable”

Hippopotamus, Kruger NP: IUCN Classification – “Vulnerable”

African penguin, Boulders Bay SA; IUCN Classification – “Endangered”

Giraffe, Madikwe Reserve; IUCN Classification: “Vulnerable”

African elephant, Madikwe Reserve; IUCN Classification – Vulnerable

African lion, Madikwe Reserve; IUCN Classification – “Vulnerable”

African wild dog, Madikwe Reserve; IUCN classification – “Critically Endangered”

Giraffe, Madikwe Reserve; IUCN Classification – ” Vulnerable”

African lion, Madikwe Reserve; IUCN Classification – ” Vulnerable”

Leopard, Kruger NP; IUCN Classification – “Vulnerable”