Giraffes are top on my list of animals I can look at without getting jaded. Their gait is graceful and elegant. Their coat, uniquely marvelous. I’m always amazed by how they still have the same number of vertebrae as we do and their necks still do not falter. And did I mention their eyelashes; gorgeous ♥.

Silent extinction, which I have discussed in an earlier post is, unfortunately, facing this amazing animal. Their numbers have been dropping at 40% in the last 10 years with close to 98,000 giraffes left. They have already become extinct in at least 7 countries. However, there is hope, well, there always is. I, for instance, won’t consent to the thought of giraffes becoming an animal only seen in books, documentaries, photos, and even stories.

The giraffe has adapted in very distinctive ways aiding their survival. Giraffes get enough water just from browsing. Nevertheless, nature always calls for a ‘Survival of the fittest’ rule. Trees the giraffe feeds on have spiky thorns, poisonous leaves and ants to defend themselves from giraffe’s feeding behavior. In line with this, the giraffe has a tough coat that defends them from the thorns and ants as well as a large black sun-proof tongue and a good sense of smell where they can detect poisonous leaves from fleshy moist leaves.

Giraffes are amazing landscapers in our ecosystem as they are vital to seed pollinators, spreading indigenous trees all across Africa.

My Guest Post today features Francisca, who shares her experience with The Rothschild’s Giraffe at The African Fund for Endangered Wildlife – Giraffe Centre.

Franca at the Giraffe Centre. Photo Credits: Francisca Kasuku

As I finish my internship at the Giraffe Center, I feel it best to share a bit of what I have learned here. My experience at AFEW Kenya Ltd (The African Fund for Endangered Wildlife) has been a good experience. Imagine how it feels to wake up every morning to look up at giraffes who are filled with anticipation after they have had their breakfast at the Giraffe Manor.

The next thing, as is expected at The Giraffe Centre, a tourist harbor in Nairobi, is the early enthusiastic visitors who want to feed the giraffes up close. Giraffes are gentle giants. Eddy, one of the dominant males at the Centre, is a true description of who a gentle giant is. He is all majestic and does not head-butt people, something most people are wary of. Visitors feel loved by the giraffes and ensure that they get hugs and kisses from giraffes and for you to maintain the friendship, you will need food in the form of pellets meant specifically for them.

One thing that disappoints me is the questions that I get to be sometimes asked. One of these is “Hey, have you tasted giraffe meat? How sweet is it?” This is one of the saddest questions that I always have to bear with more often than not. In order to not take it personally, I keep calm and whisper to myself “Franca, don’t mind them, they are just inquisitive, or are they?”.

However, I always pose a question to them and seek to shed the ignorance they may be having. I always ask, “How would you feel if you were told that there were no giraffes anymore and all that’s left to see is photos of giraffes.” What I’m always geared towards is for the guests I interact with on a daily basis, is to understand the tragic fact of giraffes becoming as EXTINCT as the dodo. This will not be a Naturally occurring type of extinction, but a Human-caused type of extinction. Most guests say they would definitely be sad because in the first place they had come to see them. I always end by instigating that extinction will happen if we continue thinking about how sweet giraffe meat can be.

Educating visitors is paramount. This I do through a session of learning about the reasons behind the setup of the Giraffe Centre.  Human selfishness and greed are among the reasons why such places like Giraffe Centre among others, have been established to protect the species and educate the masses. The Rothschild/Baringo Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi), being the main sub-species of giraffe found here, is an endangered species according to the IUCN. The founders of AFEW set it up as a breeding place for this specific giraffe. An initiative that has seen the population of the Baringo Giraffe numbers move from around 120 in the ’80s to about 1,100 in recent times with an increasingly viable population.

Giraffe Centre’s mission seeks to ensure that there is harmony between wildlife and humans. Teaching the younger generation is the prime priority as they are the future leaders of our country. Impacting these few individuals will be felt gradually on a large scale level in the near future.

I enjoy working with all wildlife, for now, experience with the Rothschild giraffe has been a great learning process. A piece of advice for anyone intending to visit the Giraffe Center, please do not overfeed the giraffe with the pellets you will be given. Be sure to utilize a handful for that perfect photo. Also, Take an initiative to grow indigenous trees and flowers together with your food crops (agroforestry). You never know which animal species you will be helping because in the end, you are also helping the human race.

Just a mention, apart from climate change, poaching and diseases, loss of habitat led among the list of reasons as to why the Rothschild Giraffe and all other giraffe species have become endangered.

Written by Francisca Kasuku

Francisca is a passionate, enthusiastic, energetic young lady whose heart is in wildlife conservation and educating anyone who will listen on the importance of wildlife. She loves tree growing and wants to be the next and even bigger Wangari Maathai. You can connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.