Conservation Speaker Series: Action for Giraffes

Join us for a dynamic speaker and a "giraffic" event, and discover why the Oakland Zoo so strongly supports GCF in all of their efforts to learn about and protect giraffes! Giraffes are one of the most remarkable species on this planet and are one of the iconic species of Africa, but giraffes are endangered in the wild and already extinct in at least 7 African countries. Facing great threats from habitat fragmentation, human encroachment, and illegal poaching, in the past 15 years wild giraffe populations have dropped from 140,000 animals to less than 80,000, with an estimated 65% population decline in certain areas. Did you know:

• Giraffes are the tallest mammal, standing as tall as 19 feet?
• No two giraffe patterns are alike. Each giraffe's coat has totally unique markings, just like a finger print.
• Giraffes have both a prehensile upper lip and tongue, and their tongue is 18 inches long! Giraffes use their upper lip and tongue to carefully select certain leaves from the trees they browse upon. Their mouth functions very much like a hand without a thumb.
• A giraffe's heart is the largest of any land mammal and its blood pressure is twice that of any human's.
• Giraffes pull almost all the water they need to survive from their food. They are able to utilize so much water in the plants they eat that they only have to drink water once every few days.
• Rothschild's giraffes and West African giraffes have officially been declared endangered by the IUCN.
• YOU can take action to help giraffes! Join us for this special evening event and learn more about what you can do to help.

Speaker: Dr Julian Fennessy, Executive Director and Conservation Scientist for the Giraffe Conservation Foundation