TANZANIA’S GIRAFFE Taxonomy & Populations
Class: Mammalia (Mammals)
Conservation Guide
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Order: Artiodactyla
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Thank you to Cindy Armstrong, Billy Dodson, Majed Sultan, Michael Viljoen and Akshay Vishwanath for providing the images and map.
Family: Giraffidae
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Genus: Giraffa
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Species:
Masai giraffe
Giraffa tippelskirchi
Where do you find Giraffe in Tanzania
giraffe in Tanzania? Until recently, giraffe were classified as one species with nine subspecies, occurring in 21 countries in Africa.
However, our new research shows that there are indeed four distinct species of giraffe. Only one of the four
Masai giraffe are found across northern and central Tanzania in species of giraffe occurs in Tanzania: Masai giraffe. The Masai giraffe is Tanzania’s national animal and they
both protected and unprotected areas, including the Serengeti, are protected under the Wildlife Conservation Act No. 5 of 2009. According to the IUCN, the Masai giraffe
Tarangire-Manyara, Arusha, Mkomazi, Mikumi, Kigosi and population in Tanzania has declined from approximately 31,000 in 1986 to 22,000. However, according to
Saadani ecosystems. Additionally, Masai giraffe are also the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI) aerial survey data, the Masai giraffe population is estimated
found in western and southern Tanzania, including the Selous at 28,850 individuals. Together with the Kenyan population, this would make Masai giraffe the second most
Game Reserve and Katavi-Rukwa ecosystem. Even though populous giraffe species in Africa, accounting for approximately 30% of the total number of giraffe in the wild.
the Selous-Mikumi ecosystem, in southern Tanzania, is the Giraffe in Tanzania occur within different types of land-management, including national parks, game reserves,
largest wildlife protection area in the world, giraffe only occur wildlife management areas and communal land.
in the northern section as the Rufiji River acts as a natural
barrier, preventing them from accessing the southern sections.
However, due to the vast size of conservation areas and the
logistical difficulties involved in covering southern Tanzania,
studies of giraffe in the country have mostly focused on
northern Tanzania.
Masai giraffe - approximately 28,850
Habitat and Ecology Local history of giraffe Giraffa tippelskirchi
Across Tanzania, giraffe are mainly found in scrublands, open Since Tanzania’s Independence in 1961, giraffe have played an important role in the country. In Swahili, the local language, giraffe are
grasslands and woodlands. As browsers, giraffe feed primarily known as twiga. Tanzania chose the giraffe as their national animal for their grace, as well as their long necks which represent the ability
on the leaves, fruits, stems and flowers of a wide range of to be visionary – seeing the past and the present. And so, giraffe serve as a reminder for Tanzanians to view life from all angles.
tree species, such as Combretum, Commiphora, Vachellia
and Terminalia. Giraffe appear to seasonally change their Symbolically, giraffe are prominently used in all aspects of business. For example, from Independence until 2011 giraffe were used as
home ranges, covering great distances in search of mates and watermarks on Tanzanian banknotes. Presently, giraffe imagery is used for advertising various products and services in the country,
available forage. Giraffe live in a fission-fusion social system, including beer (Twiga Brew), tourism (Twiga Campsite & Lodge), building materials (Twiga Cement), financial institutions (Twiga
which means that the size and composition of herds change: Bancorp), and chemical products (Twiga Chemical Industries).
depending on environmental factors and seasons, individuals
or small groups will either merge with or split from a herd. Masai giraffe Giraffa tippelskirchi
However, a rapid increase in the human population and
its related infrastructural development has resulted in the
encroachment of giraffe habitats, which, successively, has led
to reduced forage. This could have been a major contributor
to the recent Masai giraffe population decline in the country.
In order to help reduce habitat encroachment in the future, it
is extremely important to create awareness with regard to the
economic and ecological importance of giraffe conservation
amongst the communities who share their space with giraffe
Ecosystems
and who live around protected areas.
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Threats
The main threats to giraffe in Tanzania include:
• Illegal hunting/poaching using snares and guns for bush meat and other products such as hides, bones and tail hair. Giraffe
products are used for ‘traditional’ medicine, for example, in northern Tanzania some people believe that giraffe bone marrow and
Copyright © Giraffe Conservation Foundation 2018
brains can be used to cure HIV/AIDS.
• Habitat loss and fragmentation Increased human population has led to encroachment across the Masai giraffe range.
• Diseases such as Giraffe Skin Disease (GSD) and Giraffe Ear Disease (GED). GSD is characterised by greyish-brown lesions that
appear on the forelimbs and neck of adult and sub-adult giraffe; and GED manifests in lesions on the ears which then become
droopy. Tanzania is a hotspot for GSD, and has presented some of the highest recorded incident rates in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Predation of claves by carnivores.
• Increase of unpalatable tree species such as Vachellia robusta, which is known to reduce giraffe forage in the Serengeti
National Park, could have a declining effect on giraffe populations.
The Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) is dedicated to a
sustainable future for all giraffe populations in the wild.
GCF is the only NGO in the world that concentrates solely
on the conservation and management of giraffe in the
wild throughout Africa.
www.giraffeconservation.org
