Northern Giraffe

Context

• About 150 years ago, British colonialists brought batches of species of the northern giraffe to India, from their other colonial possessions in Africa. 

Recent Genealogical Study

• A recent genealogical study of the largest captive herd in India at the Alipore Zoological Garden in Kolkata has confirmed that the individuals in this facility, are most likely “critically endangered” Nubian giraffes ( Giraffa camelopardalis camelopardalis) or the endangered Rothschild giraffe ( Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi).

Giraffes

• About:
  • Giraffe, (genus Giraffa) any of four species in the genus Giraffa of long-necked cud-chewing hoofed mammals of Africa.
  • They are the world’s tallest mammals.
  • The genus Giraffa is made up of the northern giraffe (G. camelopardalis), the southern giraffe (G. giraffa), the Masai giraffe (G. tippelskirchi), and the reticulated giraffe (G. reticulata).
• Diet: Herbivorous
• Nubian giraffes:
  • The Nubian giraffes are believed to be among three sub-species of the northern giraffe.
  • The northern giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis), also known as three-horned giraffe. It is an exotic species to India, brought to India by the British from Africa.
  • 95% of the population of Nubian Giraffes has declined in the past 3 decades.
  • Found in Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan and Sudan, however, currently extinct in the wild of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt and Eritrea.

• IUCN Status:
  • Nubian Giraffes: Critically Endangered
  • Rothschild giraffes: Endangered
  • West African Giraffe: Vulnerable
• Challenges:
  • Hunted for their hides, meat, and body parts
  • They are quickly losing their living spaces

Source: TH