Habitat degradation is a major factor in the decline of populations. These issues arise from an increasing human population and conversion of land to agriculture and man-made structures, including buildings and roads.
Giraffes are also hunted for their meat, demanded by local communities. In some African cultures, giraffe tails are also used as “good luck” charms.[3]
Once distributed throughout the African continent, the giraffe is now localized in only a few countries. In the 2016 IUCN had simply cataloged it as Vulnerable (VU), while in a 2018 update all species and subspecies changed the wording to Near Threated (NT), Endangered (EN), Critically Endangered (CR).[4]
The populations have declined 30% over just15 years and in some areas as much as s95%. There are now approximately 117,000 giraffes left in the wild. The remaining herds are fragmented and face a multitude of threats, from habitat loss to poaching.[5]
[1] Treccani: https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/giraffa/
[2] GCF: https://giraffeconservation.org/facts/how-long-is-a-giraffes-tongue-what-colour-is-it/
[3] Center for Biological Biodiversity: https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/species/mammals/giraffe/index.html
[4] GCF IUCN: https://giraffeconservation.org/2018/11/14/giraffe-subspecies-update/
[5] GCF Giraffe Status: https://giraffeconservation.org/giraffe-conservation-status/