Thirty years ago giraffes were found all over the Sudano-Sahelian area, from Mauritania to Chad. Over the last 20 years, due to loss of habitat and poaching, giraffe populations have decreased. In Niger large herds were present in the Tanout area, between Agadez and Zinder, but they disappeared because of recurring drought. During the eighties, giraffes were present in the Ayorou area, but suddenly disappeared because of poaching along the Malian border and the 1984 drought.
Today the sub-species Giraffa camelopardalis peralta is found exclusively in Niger, as far as its West African range is concerned, in an area called « transition zone of the W Transfontier Biosphere Reserve (WTBR) » located 60 Km east of Niamey. The giraffes of Koure region and Dallol Bosso North are therefore the only remaining population of giraffes in Niger and West Africa.
Throughout this range, the Niger component of WTBR ECOPAS Programme (Ecosystèmes Protégés en Afrique Soudano-Sahélienne) is aiming to conserve the environment shared by giraffes and people.