Reticulated giraffe mother greeting calf, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Kenya

© Sean Crane/Minden Picture

Who's sharing a cuddly hello?. World Giraffe Day

Today is World Giraffe Day. June 21 is a day dedicated to honouring the tallest creatures on Earth and highlighting the importance of their conservation efforts. Giraffes have fascinated travellers from around the world for a long time. These animals were viewed as symbols of status and treasured as pets among royalty.

Featured here are reticulated giraffes, found mostly in Kenya, but also in parts of Somalia and Ethiopia. Their coats feature large, polygonal-shaped spots that extend onto the lower legs, tail and face. Unfortunately, only around 16,000 reticulated giraffes remain in the wild, less than half of the approximately 36,000 recorded in the 1980s. Nevertheless, recent years have observed a promising trend in northern Kenya, where populations are rebounding thanks to places like the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy. So, let's pledge to protect these creatures and their habitats.