Support NeoGAF

[Shahadan]

The giraffe population apparently has shrunk nearly 40 percent in 30 years

That’s two steps up the danger ladder from its previous designation of being a species of least concern. In 1985, there were between 151,000 and 163,000 giraffes but in 2015 the number was down to 97,562, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

At a biodiversity meeting Wednesday in Mexico, the IUCN increased the threat level for 35 species and lowered the threat level for seven species on its “Red List” of threatened species, considered by scientists the official list of what animals and plants are in danger of disappearing.

The giraffe is the only mammal whose status changed on the list this year. Scientists blame habitat loss.

While everyone worries about elephants, Earth has four times as many pachyderms as giraffes, said Julian Fennessy and Noelle Kumpel, co-chairs of the specialty group of biologists that put the giraffe on the IUCN Red List. They both called what’s happening to giraffes a “silent extinction.”

Would somebody think of the giraffes

 

[BKatastrophe]

"Silent extinction" is a pretty scary phrase

Spoiler

and also a cool name for something. Pretty sure it's a movie

, but it's accurate. I would've never thought that the giraffes would've had much to worry about. It's not like they'd be hunted for anything to particularly unique (like ivory), and I guess I never figured their particular habitat would be in danger. I feel kind of dumb now that I realize grasslands/savannah = real estate, so obviously it'd be grabbed up fast.

 

[jordan0386]

Road trip to Africa.

One last ride.

 

[woopWOOP]

Weren't there like 4 sub-species of Giraffes too?
Which will be the first to go, place your bets now

 

[Radec]

Damn Humans.

My grand grand grandchild might not see a Giraffe or Rhino in the future.

 

[zsynqx]

NOOO!

 

[Subpar Scrub]

Damn Humans.

My grand grand grandchild might not see a Giraffe or Rhino in the future.

We'll just grow them in labs 👌

 

[rocketstaR]

Dont worry, nature will find a way:

 

[Squalor]

Weren't there like 4 sub-species of Giraffes too?
Which will be the first to go, place your bets now

No, there are four species of giraffes and over nine subspecies.

 

[Shambalakan]

Giraffes are amazing!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iR27nLuML-E

 

[NightShift]

The fungus apocalypse can't happen sooner enough.

 

[CyclopsRock]

Damn Humans.

My grand grand grandchild might not see a Giraffe or Rhino in the future.

To be fair I'm sure there will be plenty in zoos and artificial habitats, which is also how the vast majority of people alive today have seen them too.

 

[SlipperyFishes]

All those cunts who go on safari to hunt these glorious creatures have a special place in hell waiting for them.

 

[Shambalakan]

Damn Humans.

My grand grand grandchild might not see a Giraffe or Rhino in the future.

That's really bad.
But at least we can save some of them in zoos and other places, and we have thousands of videos from them. But animals like Elephant Birds were alive 300,400 years ago and we can only see their skeletons.

 

[strafer]

We really are an endangeroud species

 

[Succinct Verbosity]

To be fair I'm sure there will be plenty in zoos and artificial habitats, which is also how the vast majority of people alive today have seen them too.

Hasn't saved the rhino. Holding the last of these animals in zoos just prolongs the inevitable once it reaches unsubstainable levels.

 

[MrCunningham]

Nooo...

 

[Seiryoden]

I had no idea they were this threatened. The kiddie is playing with a playmobil giraffe as I type this

 

[CloudWolf]

This sounds so weird to me, because when I was in South Africa a year ago there were giraffes everywhere. Sad times.

 

[Ninja Dom]

That's really bad.
But at least we can save some of them in zoos and other places, and we have thousands of videos from them. But animals like Elephant Birds were alive 300,400 years ago and we can only see their skeletons.

I've never heard of an Elephant Bird before. When did the Dodo die out?

 

[DrunkShogun]

Poor David Attenborough. He's losing footage material every time an animal goes extinct. Dont make Attenborough sad.

 

[CyclopsRock]

Hasn't saved the rhino. Holding the last of these animals in zoos just prolongs the inevitable once it reaches unsubstainable levels.

I know. I was just responding to a guy who was worried his grand kids won't get to see a giraffe. My point was that most people don't get to see giraffes, other than in zoos.

 

[OléGunner]

Wow that's crazy to hear.

Have about 8 giraffe's on our family ranch but the few baby's they've had recently unfortunately died from illness.
They really are magnificent animals, sad to know their population is dwindling so fast.

 

[pswii60]

I've never heard of an Elephant Bird before. When did the Dodo die out?

Yeah, the dodo always get referenced when talking about extinction in modern history, but the elephant bird seems far more interesting and potentially more recent too.

 

[Tal Shiar Agent]

Is there anywhere in North America that has a compatible climate?

 

[Jorok Goldblade]

Weren't there like 4 sub-species of Giraffes too?
Which will be the first to go, place your bets now

Yeah, that's part of the reason they're now classified as endangered. Until recently, they thought there was only one species. Once the population is broken down into the four species, none of them have a healthy population.

http://www.sci-news.com/biology/genetic-analysis-four-distinct-giraffe-species-04179.html

 

[Shambalakan]

I've never heard of an Elephant Bird before. When did the Dodo die out?

Middle of 17th century I think.
Bringing back dinosaurs to life is impossible and it's really difficult for animals like mammoths, but I don't know why scientist can't make new dodos or elephant birds. They were so close to us.
Just look at elephant bird's egg! (in the hand of Sir Attenborough and Vs ostrich's egg)

Sorry for off topic.

 

[ShiroAmakusa]

This is so depressing.

Just thinking about the animal species I'm most likely gonna see go extinct during my lifetime:
Elephants, tigers, rhinos, pandas, maybe lions. Any more likely candidates?

 

[EGM1966]

Very, very, very depressing.

 

[wild wild rice]

This is difficult to imagine. Giraffes! Imagine losing this beautiful, unique animal.

 

[The Pope]

Makes me very sad.

 

[Wilsongt]

*ffxiv* Nooo! My people! D:

Serious: fuck the people on this planet... Giraffes are amazing...

Before long the only thing that's going to remain are cats, dogs, mice, birds, and roaches.

 

[Gig]

That's really bad.
But at least we can save some of them in zoos and other places, and we have thousands of videos from them. But animals like Elephant Birds were alive 300,400 years ago and we can only see their skeletons.

We could of have had chocobos.

 

[Alcotholic]

Giraffes are my favorite animal. This makes me sad...

 

[Violet_0]

there are still about 100,000 giraffes left, so don't count on them going extinct just yet. There used to be only 1000 bisons and the population has risen to 500,000 again. And giraffes are the kind of animal species that we wouldn't allow to die out

 

[KeyBladerXIII]

Sad to hear. I was able to get up close to a giraffe a couple times and they're really fun to interact with.

 

[QuantumSquid]

future generations will play the last of us and get to that one part and be like "wtf is this alien creature?"

 

[Yaari]

Extremely sad. It's such an amazing creature. Bleh.

 

[Nugg]

Damn Humans.

My grand grand grandchild might not see a Giraffe or Rhino in the future.

I hate to have to fix that for you, but the reality is bleaker than you might think.

 

[John Kowalski]

Damn Humans.

My grand grand grandchild might not see a Giraffe or Rhino in the future.

But maybe they'll get to see a Girafhino.

 

[GeoNeo]

Hope they live on I'd be willing to adopt a giraffe.

 

[norm9]

97k is still a pretty good amount if they reproduce.

 

[VaultBoy101]

You know, Geoffrey, we really are the last of us.

Spoiler

 

[kswiston]

We could of have had chocobos.

Some of the terror birds were better matches for real chocobos.

 

[Dreez]

Apparently while elephants are hunted for their ivory, giraffes are hunted for their tails which are used for whips.