Northern giraffe facts for kids
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The northern giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) is a tall, long-necked animal. It is also called the three-horned giraffe. These amazing creatures originally come from North Africa.
Scientists are still learning about giraffes. Some think there is one main giraffe species with nine types. Others believe there might be many more species!
Northern giraffes used to live all over Africa. They were found from Senegal in West Africa to Egypt in the north. Sadly, they are now found in fewer places. You can find them in South Sudan, Kenya, Chad, and Niger.
All types of giraffes are considered vulnerable. This means they are at risk of disappearing forever. In 2016, there were about 97,000 giraffes in the wild. Only about 5,195 of these were northern giraffes.
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Understanding Giraffe Types
Scientists group living things into different types. This is called taxonomy. For giraffes, the main group is called G. camelopardalis.
Some scientists believe there is only one giraffe species. Within this species, they identify nine different types, called subspecies. Other scientists think there might be between two and eleven different giraffe species. This shows that scientists are still studying and learning about giraffes!
What Northern Giraffes Look Like
Northern giraffes have two special horn-like bumps on their heads. These are called ossicones. Their ossicones are longer and bigger than those of southern giraffes.
Male northern giraffes, called bulls, often have a third ossicone. This extra bump is in the middle of their forehead, just above their eyes. It can be from 3 to 5 inches long.
Where Northern Giraffes Live
Northern giraffes live in different kinds of places. They can be found in savannahs, shrublands, and woodlands. These areas have open spaces with trees and bushes.
Sadly, northern giraffes are the least common and most endangered giraffe type. Many have disappeared from places they once lived.
In East Africa, you can mostly find them in Kenya and southwestern Ethiopia. They are rarely seen in the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan.
About 2,000 northern giraffes live in Central African Republic, Chad, and Cameroon. In West Africa, only a few hundred remain. They are mostly found in the Dosso Reserve in Kouré, Niger. They live both inside and outside protected areas.
Northern giraffes lived in Chad a very long time ago. They also lived in Algeria and Morocco. They disappeared from Morocco around the year AD 600. The Sahara desert became too dry for them to survive. They are also no longer found in Libya and Egypt.
See also
In Spanish: Jirafa para niños
