WWA UK seeks to raise £1,500 (approx. $2,000) for equipment to support research into and conservation of the Kordofan giraffe
Giraffe populations are estimated to have declined by 30% in the last three and a half decades in Africa. Among northern giraffe populations, the Kordofan giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis antiquorum) is particularly at risk, with an estimated global population of just 2,300 individuals. Over the past 35 years, this subspecies has suffered a dramatic decline of more than 80%, leading to its Critically Endangered status on the IUCN Red List in 2018.
In the late 1980s, Cameroon’s Kordofan giraffe population was estimated at 1,600 individuals. However, an aerial survey in 2008 recorded fewer than 680, underscoring the severity of their decline. Today, their numbers are estimated at around 500 individuals, primarily found in northern Cameroon. They inhabit four national parks — Waza, Faro, Bénoué and Bouba Ndjidda — as well as 28 adjacent hunting zones, which play a crucial role in their conservation and management.
Like other giraffe subspecies, Kordofan giraffes face multiple threats, including habitat loss, civil unrest and illegal hunting. They are targeted for their meat and hides, while agricultural expansion and other human activities continue to degrade their natural habitats.
A recent BBC documentary described this ongoing decline as a “Silent Extinction”, highlighting the urgent need for conservation efforts to protect this endangered species.
Dr. Serge Alexis Kamgang is a Cameroonian conservation biologist specializing in biodiversity conservation and capacity building across Central and West Africa. With over 15 years of experience, his work focuses on large mammal ecology, human-wildlife conflict, and protected area management. In recognition of his efforts to protect lions in the Bénoué ecosystem, Dr. Kamgang received the prestigious 2023 Whitley Award. He is the Founder and Executive Director of Biodiversity, Environment, and Sustainable Development (BEDD), a non-profit organization (www.bioedd.org) dedicated to supporting the Cameroonian government in biodiversity conservation. Under his leadership, BEDD runs the only Kordofan giraffe conservation initiative in the Bénoué ecosystem. This project aims to protect the Critically Endangered subspecies through extensive monitoring and active community engagement within northern Cameroon’s conservation landscape.
Our mission: WWA UK seeks to raise £1,500 (approx. $2,000) to cover the purchase and supply of a Canon RF 200-800mm Telephoto Lens, SanDisk Portable Solid-State Drive and Walkie-Talkies to enhance Dr Kamgang and his team’s ability to collect, store and share data.
The equipment will contribute to the successful implementation of the project’s objectives, supporting the long-term conservation of the Kordofan giraffe.
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