World Giraffe Day Date in the current year: June 21, 2024

The giraffe is a tall hoofed mammal that belongs to the genus Giraffa, one of the two genera comprising the family Giraffidae (the other one is Okapia). It is easily recognizable due to its extremely long neck, which makes the giraffe the tallest living land animal, spotted coat patterns, and horn-like ossicones.

The giraffe is an African animal that inhabits woodlands and savannas. Its range extends from Niger in the west to Somalia in the east, and from Chad in the north to South Africa in the south. The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies the giraffe as a vulnerable species that has gone extinct locally in some parts of its historic range including Eritrea, Guinea, Mauritania and Senegal. Some giraffe subspecies are classified as endangered, near threatened, or even critically endangered.

The decline of giraffe population is primarily caused by the loss of habitat due to deforestation and poaching for bushmeat. According to estimates, there were approximately 97,500 giraffes in the wild as of 2016, and over 1,600 were kept in zoos. A system of protected areas such as national parks and game reserves exists to protect giraffes and other vulnerable African species from poaching and habitat loss.

World Giraffe Day was launched by Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF), an organization that aims to secure a future for all giraffe populations in their natural range of habitat. Their ultimate goal is to achieve a sustainable world where all giraffes live wild and free and are protected by people who live side by side with them.

World Giraffe Day is one of GCF’s many programs that was launched in 2014. The date of the observance, June 21, was chosen because it is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the longest night of the year in the Southern Hemisphere, and the giraffe is the tallest animal in the world. World Giraffe Day is more than just a global celebration of one of the world’s most amazing animals; it is the perfect occasion to raise awareness of the challenges faced by giraffes in the wild and highlight the importance of giraffe conservation.

To celebrate World Giraffe Day, GFC and various organizations and institutions around the world, from zoos and conservation organizations to public institutions, host various events and activities such as educational events, fundraisers, and more. You can participate in the celebration by reading a book or watching a documentary about these amazing animals, checking out a giraffe exhibit at your local zoo, donating to a giraffe conservation organization, symbolically adopting a giraffe through GFC’s Adopt-a-Giraffe program, buying World Giraffe Day and GCF merchandise, and raising awareness of the holiday on social media with the hashtag #WorldGiraffeDay.