THE GIRAFFE IN DANGER OF EXTINCTION.

In December of 2016 it was published the following news: Giraffes have become a
species in danger of extinction. The new Red List of Threatened Species The
catalogd as 'vulnerable', as its population has been reduced by up to 40% in the
last 30 years. And today, in April 2018, it seems that we have forgotten, and that its
early disappearance has become "invisible" to our eyes.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) made the call alert: the
number of giraffes, the highest land animal on the planet, fell below the 100,000
copies in 2015. This is mainly due to the threats to its habitat and poaching .

"These majestic animals are facing a silent extinction," said Julian Fennessy, Co-Chair
of the working group in charge of controlling the population of giraffes for IUCN. And
is that, in spite of the admiration that wakes us up the long neck and legs of the giraffes
, their situation is more critical than we think.

IMPORTANCE OF GIRAFFES IN THE ANIMAL WORLD

By its extraordinaria height, which sometimes measure up to 6 meters. They interact

not only among individuals of their own species, but warns others, on many occasions
doing surveillance, and noting the presence of predators .

HABITAT AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GIRAFFE:

The giraffes live in savannas, grasslands and open woodlands throughout their
range that spans from Chad to South Africa and from Niger to Somalia. These
animals are herbivores and their diet is based on leaves of acacias, which are of the
highest areas of these trees. Among its main predators are the lions, who hunt adult
specimens, and the leopards, hyenas and wild dogs, who hunt down their offspring.
It due to its unique appearance the giraffes have attracted the attention of many cultures
throughout history, they have often been represented in paintings, books and drawings.

WHY GIRAFFES ARE IN DANGER OF EXTINCTION?

Four reasons:
 The loss of habitat as a result of la deforestación, the change of land use, the expansion
of farming and livestock activities and the growth of the human population.
 Problems and civil unrest, ethnic violence, as the rebel militia or military and
paramilitary operations.
 Ecological changes such as mining, habitat conversion for agriculture or processes
caused by the weather.
 The caza ilegal o furtiva, since they are frequent targets for hunters in Africa.

This last point is very relevant, since the different parts of the body of the giraffes are
very demanded: the meat is used as a food source, the queue is used as a fly swatter and
the hairdryer to bracelets and thread. Your skin is also used for the manufacture of shields,
 sandals and clothes or drums, and the tendons have been used in strings for musical
instruments.

PROTECTIVE MEASURES

 Ensure their habitats and protecting them.

 Administration of the strength of their populations to prevent these remain in decline.
 Education of the population that will inculcate the values needed to create the need to
conserve one of the world's most iconic animals.

Another measure that is proving to be effective is the creation of natural sanctuaries,

which create in society is that we need to know and understand these animals which, in
addition, are one of the most important tourist attractions of the parks of Kenya.