Giraffes are tall, but they aren’t above a taxonomic reclassification. According to a new report from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), giraffes actually represent four separate species, rather than one.
The report — a review released by the IUCN’s Giraffe and Okapi Specialist Group (GOSG) — rethinks not only the way that these threatened animals are categorized but also the way that they are protected and preserved, with important implications for giraffe conservation across Africa.
“This landmark taxonomic revision […] reflects the best available science and provides a globally [standardized] framework to inform conservation,” said Michael Brown, a co-author of the review and a co-chair of the GOSG, according to a press release.
How Many Giraffe Species are There?
Giraffes have historically been treated as a single species, Giraffa camelopardalis, separated into nine subspecies distinguished by their appearance and distribution. But this classification has been debated for decades, with more and more studies suggesting that there are other species out there — as many as eight, according to a commonly cited analysis from 2011.
In 2024, the mounting research and the increasing taxonomic confusion inspired GOSG researchers to review the available publications on giraffe taxonomy, reexamining the genetic, morphological, and geographical results from published, peer-reviewed articles.
Their reassessment revealed that there is strong reason to support the classification of giraffes into several species. The genetic data consistently demonstrated a difference between giraffe groupings on the basis of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. Meanwhile, the review also determined that the morphological and geographical results support the genetic data, with giraffes displaying considerable differences in skull structure and geographical boundaries across Africa.
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Difference in Giraffe Spots
Surprisingly, the researchers didn’t consider the differences in pelage patterns, including the shape, size, and arrangement of spots, that are sometimes described in different giraffes, as previous research has suggested that species aren’t always distinguishable by their coloration.
In fact, the report states that preliminary findings from 2017 showed that spots are insufficient for assigning giraffe groups to separate taxa, making them an unreliable standard for the GOSG review.
Regardless, the team still gathered the support for granting species status to several giraffe groups, laying the foundation for more specialized strategies for conservation in the future.
From One Species to Four
Ultimately, the team recognized four separate species, including the Northern giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis), the Southern Giraffe (Giraffa giraffa), the reticulated giraffe (Giraffa reticulata), and the Masai giraffe (Giraffa tippelskirchi). The researchers also identified 7 separate subspecies, which could impact the way that giraffe conservation projects are planned and carried out.
Indeed, the categorization of these species and subspecies could create a clearer understanding of the specific challenges that affect specific giraffes, which are currently (and collectively) listed as “vulnerable” in the IUCN Red List, the most comprehensive source for assessing the status of at-risk animals.
“[Recognizing] these four species is vital […] for accurate IUCN Red List assessments, targeted conservation action, and coordinated management across national borders. The more precisely we understand giraffe taxonomy, the better equipped we are to assess their status and implement effective conservation strategies,” Brown added in the release.
While future research may reveal additional giraffe species, the new report represents the most updated understanding of giraffe taxonomy that’s available today. And it comes at an important time, allowing conservationists to do all that they can to save the giraffe, including all four of its current species.
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Article Sources
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