Conservationists are celebrating the birth of the first giraffe in the Wild Tomorrow Fund-managed Ukuwela Conservancy in Kwa Zulu Natal.
“This is tangible proof that Wild Tomorrow Fund’s work is working,” said Rikus Lombard, who sponsored the introduction of the mother of the calf on the conservancy around two years ago.
The calf was born on the morning of December 14 and is yet to be formally named. The birth is described on the Wild Tomorrow Fund’s blog as “an incredible moment that speaks to the power of nature and restoration”.
Wild giraffe numbers have decreased by an estimated 30% in 15 years according to a 2015 report by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The disappearance of giraffes has been termed the ‘silent extinction’, with the biggest contributor being habitat loss. Industrialisation across Africa has invaded the browsing areas of the animals, making conservations like Ukuwela essential to saving not only giraffes, but all wildlife, and restoring critical eco systems.
Ukuwela is in the Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany area, amidst a network of prestigious wildlife reserves including Mkuze, Sodwana Bay, St Lucia, the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and the Phinda Private Game Reserve.
