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Friend,
Giraffe populations have continued to decline since the 1980s, and if we do not act, these gentle giants are at risk of extinction. Thankfully, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed listing all four species of giraffes under the Endangered Species Act, providing them much-needed protections from the many threats they face like poaching and habitat loss. The public, that means you, has until February 19 to submit comments and urge USFWS to finalize this important rule and give giraffes the protections they need now!
There are currently fewer than 69,000 mature giraffes remaining in the wild today. And the threats of habitat loss and illegal hunting for bushmeat are only exacerbated by demand for giraffe trophies and other products—like bones, skins, hair and tails—that are traded internationally. Worse, buyers in the United States are a huge part of the market—importing nearly 30,000 giraffe parts between 2019 and 2023—making butchering these unique animals a lucrative business. Because the United States is fueling demand for these products, we have a responsibility to act.
Listing giraffes under the Endangered Species Act won't solve all the problems facing giraffes, but it will go a long way toward curbing poaching and reducing the United States' outsized role in the market for giraffe products, giving them their best chance at survival. Please, help put pressure on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect giraffes before the deadline!
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