Quick answer
Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) are listed in our guides as Vulnerable. That IUCN-style label describes global extinction risk and can differ from national lists — habitat loss and human pressure still decide local survival.
Key takeaway
Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) are listed in our guides as Vulnerable. That IUCN-style label describes global extinction risk and can differ from national lists — habitat loss and human pressure still decide local survival.
Giraffe conservation status
Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) is recorded here as Vulnerable. Global categories summarise extinction risk; regional populations can be safer or worse than the headline label.
Threats facing giraffes
Habitat loss around Savanna, grassland, and open woodland, hunting or persecution, climate pressure, and conflict with people are common drivers. Exact ranking of threats varies by region.
Outlook for Giraffe populations
Where monitoring exists, trends track protected-area quality and enforcement. Fragmented groups need corridors and genetic exchange to avoid local extinction.
What actually helps
Support verified conservation programmes, cut demand for illegal wildlife products, and protect habitat. Tourism helps only when operators follow ethical wildlife standards.
Built tall
A giraffe's neck alone can be over 2 m (6 ft) long, yet it contains only seven vertebrae like almost all mammals. To pump blood up to the brain, the giraffe has an oversized heart and the highest blood pressure of any animal, with special vessels in the neck that stop it blacking out when it lowers its head to drink.
Diet and feeding
Giraffes are browsers that feed mainly on the leaves, shoots, and flowers of acacia and other trees, using a long prehensile tongue and tough lips to strip foliage past the thorns. They eat for many hours a day and get most of their water from their food, so they can go long stretches without drinking.
Sources
Giraffe FAQs
Are giraffes endangered?
Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) are listed in our guides as Vulnerable. That IUCN-style label describes global extinction risk and can differ from national lists — habitat loss and human pressure still decide local survival.
What is the scientific name of the giraffe?
Giraffa camelopardalis — used in research and conservation listings for giraffes.
What do giraffes eat?
Giraffes are described as herbivores, with seasonal and regional variation in Savanna, grassland, and open woodland.
Where do giraffes live?
They are associated with Savanna, grassland, and open woodland. Local presence depends on food, cover, and human land use.
What is the conservation status of giraffes?
Listed in our guides as Vulnerable. Check the IUCN Red List and national assessments for the latest formal category.