Thornicroft's giraffe (''Giraffa camelopardalis thornicrofti''), also known as the Rhodesian giraffe or Luangwa giraffe, is a subspecies of

giraffe The giraffe is a large Fauna of Africa, African even-toed ungulate, hoofed mammal belonging to the genus ''Giraffa.'' It is the Largest mammals#Even-toed Ungulates (Artiodactyla), tallest living terrestrial animal and the largest ruminant on ...

. It is sometimes considered a species in its own right (as ''Giraffa thornicrofti'') or a subspecies of the Masai giraffe (as ''Giraffa tippelskirchi thornicrofti''). It is geographically isolated, occurring only in

Zambia Zambia, officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern and East Africa. It is typically referred to being in South-Central Africa or Southern Africa. It is bor ...

’s South Luangwa Valley.Fennessy, Julian, et al. "Mitochondrial DNA analyses show that Zambia's South Luangwa Valley giraffe (''Giraffa camelopardalis thornicrofti'') are genetically isolated." African Journal of Ecology 51.4 (2013): 635–640. An estimated 550 live in the wild, with no captive populations. Its lifespan is 22 years for males and 28 years for females.Berry, P. S. M., and F. B. Bercovitch. "Darkening coat colour reveals life history and life expectancy of male Thornicroft's giraffes." Journal of Zoology 287.3 (2012): 157–160. The

ecotype Ecotypes are organisms which belong to the same species but possess different phenotypical features as a result of environmental factors such as elevation, climate and predation. Ecotypes can be seen in wide geographical distributions and may event ...

was originally named after Harry Scott Thornicroft, a commissioner in what was then

North-Eastern Rhodesia North-Eastern Rhodesia was a British protectorate in south central Africa formed in 1900.North-Eastern Rhodesia Order in Council, 1900 The protectorate was administered under charter by the British South Africa Company. It was one of what were ...

and later

Northern Rhodesia Northern Rhodesia was a British protectorate in Southern Africa, now the independent country of Zambia. It was formed in 1911 by Amalgamation (politics), amalgamating the two earlier protectorates of Barotziland-North-Western Rhodesia and North ...

Description

Thornicroft's giraffes are tall with very long necks. They have long, dark tongues and skin-colored horns.Hassanin, Alexandre, et al. "Mitochondrial DNA variability in'' Giraffa camelopardalis'': consequences for taxonomy, phylogeography and conservation of giraffes in West and central Africa." Comptes Rendus Biologies 330.3 (2007): 265–274. Giraffes have a typical coat pattern, with regional differences among subspecies. The pattern consists of large, irregular shaped brown to black patches separated by white to yellow bands. Male giraffes' coats darken with age, particularly the patches. The darkening of the coat has not been studied extensively enough to indicate absolute age; however, it can estimate relative age of male Thornicroft's giraffes.

Range, distribution and habitat

Giraffes occur in arid and dry-savannah zones in sub-Saharan Africa, provided trees are available as a food source. Thornicroft's giraffe is endemic to Zambia. Giraffes are herd animals with a flexible social system.

Diet

Giraffes are exclusively browsers that primarily feed on leaves and shoots of trees and shrubs. They consume deciduous plants in the wet season and transition to evergreen and semi-evergreen species in the dry season, choosing flowers, fruits, and pods when they are available. They are true ruminants with forestomach fermentation. Their food intake is approximately 2.1% of the body mass of females and 1.6% for males. They can obtain their water through the foliage they consume, but drink regularly when water is available. Giraffes seek out acacia species when browsing. Their feeding stimulates shoot production of the species.

Reproduction

Thornicroft's giraffes breed throughout the year. They reach sexual maturity at approximately six years, and then produce offspring approximately every 677 days. About half of all calves die before one year of age, mostly due to predation. Giraffes can become pregnant while lactating, an unusual characteristic.

Conservation

''Giraffa camelopardalis thornicrofti'' is endemic to Zambia with a population of less than 550. There are none in captivity. Ecotourism has played a vital role in conservation of all subspecies of giraffes, due to their popularity with tourists. Giraffes as a species are classified as vulnerable according to the IUCN, but their populations are rapidly declining, with some subspecies being listed as

critically endangered An IUCN Red List critically endangered (CR or sometimes CE) species is one that has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. As of December 2023, of t ...

Fennessy, J. & Brown, D. 2010. Giraffa camelopardalis. In: IUCN 2013. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. . Downloaded on 02 May 2014. Their primary threats are

poaching Poaching is the illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals, usually associated with land use rights. Poaching was once performed by impoverished peasants for subsistence purposes and to supplement meager diets. It was set against the huntin ...

, human population growth,

habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss or habitat reduction) occurs when a natural habitat is no longer able to support its native species. The organisms once living there have either moved elsewhere, or are dead, leading to a decrease ...

habitat fragmentation Habitat fragmentation describes the emergence of discontinuities (fragmentation) in an organism's preferred environment (habitat), causing population fragmentation and ecosystem decay. Causes of habitat fragmentation include geological proces ...

, and

habitat degradation Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss or habitat reduction) occurs when a natural habitat is no longer able to support its native species. The organisms once living there have either moved elsewhere, or are dead, leading to a decrease ...

."Giraffe – The Facts”. Giraffe Conservation Foundation. Retrieved 2010-12-21.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1094164 Giraffes Mammals of Zambia Taxobox binomials not recognized by IUCN