World Giraffe Day

By actively celebrating World Giraffe Day, you are contributing to the conservation of wild giraffe populations. Currently, there are approximately 117,000 giraffes left in the world—an alarmingly small number. Without support, their numbers will continue to decline. Governments, environmental organizations, research centers, zoos, companies, and schools commemorate World Giraffe Day by hosting events, donating funds, and raising awareness on how to protect giraffes.

History

The Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) launched the annual Save the Giraffe Celebration initiative in 2014. Each year, the holiday focuses on specific challenges related to preserving the African giraffe population.

In 2014, the Jeans4Giraffe campaign encouraged participants wearing denim to raise funds for giraffes in Namibia. In 2015, the “Operation Twiga” initiative aimed to protect the Rothschild giraffe from extinction. The Masai giraffe received special attention in 2017. By 2019, the holiday spotlighted the Twiga Tracker program, a satellite tracking initiative. During the COVID pandemic in 2020, the celebration shifted to digital platforms. In 2021, events were once again organized to spread awareness about giraffe conservation, while 2022 focused on the critically endangered Mozambique giraffe, of which only 250 remain.

Interesting Facts

Efforts to increase the giraffe population in Mozambique include relocating 350 individuals to four key areas: the Karingani and Maputo reserves, and the Banhine and Zinave national parks.

How to Take Part

Here are some ways to celebrate and support giraffes:

1. Adopt a giraffe through the GCF website. The adoption fee is $10 per month or $50 per year, providing you access to updates about your adopted giraffe’s life in the wild.
2. Purchase giraffe-themed merchandise from the GCF online store to support conservation efforts.
3. Raise awareness about giraffe conservation on social media by using the hashtag #WorldGiraffeDay.

When is World Giraffe Day in 2025?

World Giraffe Day is observed annually on June 21.

Observations