GENTLE GIANT
Merlin ID: 636656
Caption
Northern Giraffe
The National Wildlife Property Repository, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Denver Colorado, USA
“I once saw a social media post from a female trophy hunter who had a giraffe’s head and neck mounted on her living room wall in such a way that the giraffe looked as if she was drinking from a large water bowl, which also displayed some water plants. The deeply disturbing message along the photo was something like: ‘She is finally home’. When I spotted this giraffe trophy at a border patrol warehouse, I just wanted to break down and cry. Apparently, giraffe hunts are often designed to suit female trophy hunters who pay as little as US$1,800-4,000 to kill the gentle giant. Wild giraffe populations are rapidly declining in many parts of Africa, with human activity cited as the main cause. Giraffes are currently listed under CITES Appendix II, which places restrictions on international trade, but doesn’t prohibit it.” - Britta Jaschinski
The Giraffe is scientifically classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN with a decreasing population trend.* CITES lists the giraffe under their Appendix II, meaning Member countries have determined that giraffe may become threatened with extinction due to trade if trade is not regulated. Even with international regulations, giraffes continue to be legally hunted and imported around the world as hunting trophies. While some trophies may be full body taxidermy mounts, giraffe trophies also often take the form of skins (used for rugs and pillows) and lamps (where the giraffe’s long legs make up the lamps’ stands). There are examples of their bones being traded and sold as “craft supplies.”
* Muller, Z., Bercovitch, F., Brand, R., Brown, D., Brown, M., Bolger, D., Carter, K., Deacon, F., Doherty, J.B., Fennessy, J., Fennessy, S., Hussein, A.A., Lee, D., Marais, A., Strauss, M., Tutchings, A. & Wube, T. 2018. Giraffa camelopardalis (amended version of 2016 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T9194A136266699.
Credit
Britta Jaschinski
Copy credit and caption