Overview

• IUCN experts split giraffes into Northern, Reticulated, Masai and Southern species after assessing extensive genetic data and key anatomical differences such as skull shape.
• The task force found large DNA divergences among lineages, replacing the long-held single-species view with a framework that supports more precise management across Africa.
• Population estimates indicate sharp disparities: Northern about 7,000, Reticulated about 21,000, Masai about 44,000 and Southern about 69,000, according to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation.
• Threats vary by species, with Northern giraffes affected by political instability and poaching in parts of Central and East Africa, while Masai giraffes face habitat loss in Kenya and Tanzania.
• Researchers drew on more than 2,000 genetic samples collected over two decades, enabled by sequencing costs that have fallen to roughly $100 per genome.