Standing at 19 feet tall, giraffes are the tallest animals on Earth and beloved icons of children’s books, toys, and wildlife documentaries. Yet their population is in steep decline, prompting the U.S. government to propose listing them as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for the first time.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced its plan to classify five giraffe subspecies under the ESA, a move aimed at curbing poaching and conserving these majestic animals. The U.S. is a leading importer of giraffe-derived products, including rugs, boots, furniture, and even Bible covers, making this action critical for protecting the species.

“Federal protections for giraffes will help protect a vulnerable species, foster biodiversity, support ecosystem health, combat wildlife trafficking and promote sustainable economic practices,” said Martha Williams, director of the US Fish and Wildlife Service. “This action supports giraffe conservation while ensuring the United States does not contribute further to their decline.”

Giraffes, with their elongated necks and distinctive brown-and-white patterns, inhabit the savannas and woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa. However, their population has plummeted by over 40% since the 1980s, leaving only about 69,000 individuals.

The primary threats include habitat loss, poaching, and climate change. Human development fragments their home ranges, while intensifying droughts linked to the climate crisis further strain their survival. Poaching exacerbates these pressures, as giraffes are hunted for bushmeat, trophies, and traditional medicine, particularly their hair and tails.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) categorised several giraffe subspecies as critically endangered in 2018. Building on this, the FWS now proposes listing three subspecies of northern giraffe—found in Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Uganda—as endangered. These populations have declined by a staggering 77% since 1985, leaving just 5,919 individuals. Additionally, two East African subspecies, the reticulated and Masai giraffes, are set to be listed as threatened, a less severe classification.

If finalised, the ESA listing will mandate permits for importing giraffe parts into the U.S. and could enhance funding for conservation efforts. Environmental organisations that have long campaigned for this recognition welcomed the decision, though many believe it is overdue.

“These gentle giants are suffering a silent extinction, and Endangered Species Act safeguards will curb US imports of giraffe skins and other body parts,” said Tanya Sanerib, international legal director at the Center for Biological Diversity, which petitioned for protections for giraffes in 2017, only to later sue when this did not happen.

Sanerib pointed out that recent data, from 2022, “shows everything coming into the US, from giraffe tails and skulls to lots of skins, leather products, bones, bone carvings, of course hunting trophies, giraffe feet, giraffe rugs and giraffe jewellery”.

“The proposed protections are good news for giraffes, but it’s tragic that it took seven years to get here,” she said. “US officials should be racing like a cheetah to fight the global extinction crisis, but they’re actually moving at a snail’s pace to protect imperiled wildlife.”

Unlike the 2019 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) ruling, which sought to regulate giraffe part trade but proved largely ineffective, the ESA provides stronger conservation safeguards.

“Giraffes are in trouble and the fact that there are four distinct species makes their situation even more dire,” said Stephanie Fennessy, executive director of the Windhoek, Namibia-based Giraffe Conservation Foundation.

“The attention for giraffes generated through this rule will help increase awareness of their plight and the fact that not all giraffes are the same. Ultimately, this attention will hopefully convert into more funding support and interest to save all four species of giraffe in the wild in Africa.”

The international community has also expressed support for the proposal. Public comments on the FWS plan are open until February 19, after which the agency will finalise the rule.

Advocates like Tanya Sanerib of the Center for Biological Diversity remain cautiously optimistic, noting the looming challenges of political transitions.

The potential return of Donald Trump, whose administration was widely criticised for its environmental policies, could complicate the initiative.

Despite these uncertainties, the proposed ESA listing represents a crucial step toward protecting giraffes from extinction, addressing the combined threats of poaching, habitat loss, and climate change, and ensuring their survival for future generations.

“Everyone loves giraffes, that’s not a partisan issue, right? This is a species that crosses the political divide, a species everyone cares about,” she said.

“And a lot of the reasons why things get tangled up with our Endangered Species Act in the US is because it impacts the states, and when those species are foreign, that doesn’t come into play.

“So I think the main entity that’s going to raise opposition to this listing is the trophy hunting industry, and the question is going to be: how much sway do they have with this new administration?”