The West African giraffe (G. c. peralta), Nubian giraffe (G. c. camelopardalis), Baringo Rothschild's giraffe (G. c. rothschildi), Masai giraffe (G. c. tippelskirchi), reticulated giraffe (G. c. reticulata), Thornicroft's giraffe (G. c. thornicrofti), Angolan giraffe (G. c. angolensis) and southern giraffe (G. c. giraffa) are subspecies of the Nigerian giraffe. Another threatened relative of the Nigerian giraffe is the Kordofan giraffe (G.c. antiquorum) of Sudan. Africa is home to all subspecies of giraffes. Ancient Romans described giraffes as animals with camel bodies and leopard spots, hence, the name "camelopardalis."
The Nigerian giraffe ancestry has transferred to the herds of the West African giraffe in Niger. The West African giraffe is often called the white giraffe because of its light-colored spots. It is listed as endangered, just as its ancestor was.
In 1996, only 50 West African giraffes roamed freely in Africa. Shrinking habitat, poaching, natural vegetation destroyed through land-clearing for crop cultivation and land desertification are blamed for the decline in numbers. Depleted food supplies force giraffes to seek out the crops of villagers and farmers, who cause death or injury to the animals because they see the giraffes as a threat to their livelihood. Cattle ranchers are the exception; giraffes pose no threat to the cattle's food supply, since giraffes eat leaves of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs.
Wildlife park preservationists began a program to educate local communities about giraffes being an asset to tourism and, in turn, are creating income for their communities through this effort. The dedication of these individuals and organizations helped the West African giraffe come back from extinction. In 2008, the giraffe population census was 193. In 2009, the census expected the count to be more than 200. The population growth for giraffes is slow because the gestation period is 15 months, with a single birth, although twins have been documented. Giraffes live up to 25 years in the wild, longer in zoos.
