Giraffe Husbandry Manual
Husbandry manuals serve as a source of reference on the biology, maintenance, housing, health, behaviour, diet, breeding, restrain and transporting of animals held in captivity. They act as a major source of information for the species. The present information and experiences (both published and unpublished) together so that the knowledge of that particular species can […]
A conservation assessment of Giraffa camelopardalis giraffa
Taxonomic notes: Currently, nine subspecies classifications have been proposed for Giraffe (Ansell 1972; Dagg & Foster 1982; Kingdon 1997; East 1999; Grubb 2005; Ciofolo & Pendu 2013). There is considerable uncertainty surrounding the geographic and taxonomic limits of all described subspecies (Fennessy et al. 2013). Furthermore, recent genetic work suggests that several subspecies may even […]
Limited introgression supports division of giraffe into four species
All giraffe (Giraffa) were previously assigned to a single species (G. camelopardalis) and nine subspecies. However, multi-locus analyses of all subspecies have shown that there are four genetically distinct clades and suggest four giraffe species. This conclusion might not be fully accepted due to limited data and lack of explicit gene flow analyses. Here, we […]
Standing Tall for Giraffes – Research and Conservation of an Overlooked African Icon
Despite being iconically African, the giraffe remains largely understudied in the wild—unlike most of the continent’s other large megafauna. In part, this is because giraffes were not heavily hunted until recently: they don’t produce tusks or horns that are coveted as trophies or medicine and they are not an aggressive species. Sadly, the Giraffe Conservation […]
Extensive population genetic structure in the giraffe
Background: A central question in the evolutionary diversification of large, widespread, mobile mammals is how substantial differentiation can arise, particularly in the absence of topographic or habitat barriers to dispersal. All extant giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) are currently considered to represent a single species classified into multiple subspecies. However, geographic variation in traits such as pelage […]
Necks for sex: sexual selection as an explanation for sauropod dinosaur neck elongation
The immensely long neck of a sauropod is one of the most familiar and striking of anatomical specializations among dinosaurs. Here, I use recently collected neontological and paleontological information to test the predictions of two competing hypotheses proposed to explain the significance of the long neck. According to the traditional hypothesis, neck elongation in sauropods […]
The origins of the scientific study and classification of giraffes
Giraffes have been known for many thousands of years from rock art and Egyptian artefacts, displayed by Roman emperors at games and triumphs between 46BC and AD274, and briefly exhibited in the zoos of the Italian City States in the 15th Century, yet they remained in the realm of mythology until, in 1764, Ryk Tulbagh, […]
Supplement on the paper of: Extensive population genetic structure in the giraffe.
Brown et al. (pp. 63/64, if I counted correctly, – the page numbers on the PDF of the paper are “not for citation puposes”) suggest “that the giraffe might represent more than one species” and that their results and arguments “support viewing the giraffe as containing multiple distinct species rather than a single polymorphic form. […]
The taxonomic history of giraffe – a brief review
The giraffe has long been considered a single species, albeit highly polymorphic. Its high degree of geographically structured phenotypic variation has lead to 27 recorded specific or subspecific taxon names. This article briefly reviews the significant episodes in the complex taxonomic history of the giraffe.
Mitochondrial DNA variability in Giraffa camelopardalis: consequences for taxonomy, phylogeography and conservation of giraffes in West and central Africa
The giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) still survives in four countries of West and central Africa. The populations of Niger and Cameroon are generally assigned to the subspecies peralta, but those of Chad and the Central African Republic are taxonomically problematic, as they are referred to as either peralta, or antiquorum, or congoensis. In this study, a […]