US Government Urged To Protect Giraffes

The United States has taken a step closer to providing much-needed protection for giraffes under the Endangered Species Act.

Humane Society International (HSI) and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) teamed together with the Center for Biological Diversity to petition the US Fish and Wildlife Service for more giraffe protection in 2017.

The petition includes “substantial scientific and commercial information indicating that the giraffe is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range,” according to a letter signed by members of all three groups.

Poaching, habitat degradation, and economic overexploitation are all threats to the species’ existence, which is found in semi-arid savannahs and savannah woodlands across Africa.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service failed to respond to the petition within the required deadline. The organizations retaliated by filing a lawsuit against the government agency. It has now promised to make a decision on safeguards by November of next year.

The Extinction of Giraffes

Giraffes are facing a “silent extinction,” according to the Humane Society of the United States.

Their population has decreased by 40% in the last three decades.

However, the United States bears a significant portion of the responsibility for animal protection. It is one of the world’s largest importers of their body parts due to trophy hunting. Every day, one giraffe hunting trophy is expected to be imported into the United States.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service’s willingness to make a judgment in 2024, according to Adam Peyman, HSI’s wildlife projects director, is “a long, overdue step to protecting giraffes.”

“The United States is a top importer and seller of giraffe parts—including heads, legs, and feet, tails and skins. It’s a leading contributor to the threat of extinction of the species,” they added.

“The demand for these items is deplorable. An Endangered Species Act listing will strengthen the ability to combat this horrific domestic market.”

Source: “US Government Urged To Protect Giraffes From ‘Silent Extinction’” by Plant Based News

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