Giraffes Set to Receive Endangered Species Act Protections

​worldanimalnews.com/giraffes-are-one-step-closer-to-receiving-vital-endangered-species-act-protection/

Not My Photo - Photo image url copied respectfully from World Animal News.

4 species of giraffe are expected to receive Endangered Species Act Protections after a grueling 7 year process that saw lawsuits and pressure put on the USFWS to act swiftly. With these protections, the U.S. will act more strictly on the import of giraffe parts, skins, and trophies. Interestingly, the United States is the largest importer & exporter of giraffe parts, playing a vital role in their decline. With under 70, 000 mature adults remaining in the wild, time is of the essence in ensuring there is a future for giraffes free of the perils that humans have imposed on their survival.

What Perils Do Giraffes Face?

• HABITAT LOSS - As Africa's population continues to grow, more land is required for budding communities. This means more housing and infrastructure, more agricultural development, and more of the giraffe's habitat taken from them. This causes fragmentation and more human caused conflicts.
• ILLEGAL POACHING - Giraffes are susceptible to being poached for their pelts and body parts. Some of these are sold illegally, and some are traded legally and imported / exported by countries including the United States.
• TROPHY HUNTING - Long have trophy hunters argued that the money spent to hunt / kill these majestic animals has funneled in to local communities / conservation efforts. Given that they are plunging towards inevitable extinction, I guess it's time to stop that nonsense. Trophy hunting is directly contributing to their decline and panders to wealthy people who have a salacious desire to kill for fun / sport.
• DECOR - Giraffe bones are made in to carvings sold across the world while the pelts are used for a variety of decor. Highly unnecessary given they are plunging towards extinction and the world of synthetics is ever expanding. 

While illegal poaching is something that is actively being tackled with anti-poaching units risking their lives on the daily to protect giraffes, it's a persistent problem. With that being said, we NEED to address the perils we are directly contributing to and can tackle with reasonable, sensical changes. First of all, devalue their bones, pelts, and ban any sort of decor made from the giraffes. We should not be permitting the import of these items for novelty decor as giraffes go extinct.

​Secondly, it's time to end the charade on trophy hunting. For God's sake, there is NOTHING redeemable about slaughtering endangered species. We need to stop the crap; stop pandering to the wealthy, the entitled, and the hunting community while giraffes continue to suffer and plunge closer and closer to extinction. Enough is enough. It's a joke anymore that people continue to argue in defense of trophy hunting when it's unbelievable evident that giraffes are in danger o extinction.

As a plant, it's time to end trophy hunting. It's time to ban imports of body parts from endangered species. This is common sense you guys. We cannot continue to allow such disgusting behaviour when the statistics are very clearly showing us that giraffes are on the track towards extinction. We can do better fi we stand up for our planet's most vulnerable species. No one in their right mind needs a giraffe trophy, not as they face insurmountable perils to their survival.

It's time to act using our brains. It's time to stop pandering to hunters who get their thrills ending the life of an animal, especially one that is facing extinction. We need to stop allowing ANY imports from endangered species. This is common sense, and it's time to listen to the science that is saying what we're currently doing is not working.

There are billions of humans on this planet and under 70, 000 giraffes. If we do not smarten up and act appropriately, what do we expect to happen? Humans continue to grow and giraffes will go extinct. It's simple, and it's preventable.

Learn more by visiting the original story from WORLD ANIMAL NEWS linked at the top fo this post.

HAPPY VEG