World Giraffe Day has come and gone - and with your help we have again made a lot of noise about these not very vocal giants! Together we continue to make a difference and tell the world that giraffe are in trouble and need our help. And while you do your bit in your part of the world, we continue to work with our partners and make a difference here in Africa. 

In this News Update you can read more about a few recent conservation highlights, such as the hands-on training course for African wildlife veterinarians that we hosted here in Namibia or a new giraffe population that was discover in Chad! There is so much exciting conservation news to share and we hope to inspire you to #StandTallForGiraffe with us!

World Giraffe Day is easily our favourite day of the year and WGD 2022 did not disappoint as giraffe conservation dominated social media, the news and conversations all over the world. World Giraffe Day was initiated by GCF to raise awareness about the plight of giraffe and we certainly achieved this again this year! Of course, donations are always welcome too and we have been overwhelmed by your support. All donations are contributing to our most ambitious translocation programme yet - we are moving more than 350 giraffe back to their historic range in Mozambique over the next few years. Read more about this exciting initiative on our website. 

In May 2022 we proudly spearheaded an innovative, hands-on training for African wildlife veterinarians to enhance the capacity of these conservation leaders.

Whilst most African countries do not necessarily have a shortage of veterinarians, few have specialised skills or experience in wildlife veterinary medicine. Together with our partners we are determined to change this! We invited eight young veterinarians from five African countries (Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania and Uganda) to participate in an intensive 10-day hands-on wildlife immobilisation training course in Namibia. The course was fully funded by GCF and proved a great success. Working together with expert wildlife veterinarians offered a unique opportunity for all participants to learn valuable skills and forge new networks with other wildlife professionals in Africa. Read more about this successful course - the first of many - on our website.

Exciting News! When a pilot friend mentioned that he had spotted a giraffe whilst flying over central Chad, we were intrigued to find out more as this was the first report of giraffe in this part of the country. Earlier this year, GCF partnered with Wild Africa Conservation, Wings for Conservation and the Chad government to undertake an aerial survey of the Koundjourou area in Guera & Batha Provinces. 

We are excited to confirm the discovery of a NEW and previously unknown population of critically endangered Kordofan giraffe - the northernmost population ever recorded! Based on individual identification we have spotted at least 34 giraffe. The aerial survey also found other species, including red-fronted gazelle, common duiker, African warthog, jackal, spotted hyena, striped hyena, North African ostrich, Arabian bustard and lappet-faced vulture. 

As a result of these encouraging findings, the Chad government is now exploring the option of establishing a new Nature Reserve in the country. 

What an amazing example of successful conservation partnerships and actions that are making a real difference!

As we continue to forge partnerships and expand our networks, our conservation impact continues to increase. We’re excited to announce that GCF is now implementing and/or supporting giraffe conservation initiatives in 17 African countries! The Kingdom of Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland) is a small country nestled between South Africa and Mozambique, and home to several small populations of South African giraffe. During a recent field trip, we extended our work and started building new partnerships in the country with the aim of gaining a better understanding of the population status of giraffe and assisting with future giraffe conservation initiatives.

For more regular updates, follow us on social media or get in touch directly with any questions about giraffe conservation or our important work in Africa.