Masai giraffe, Maasai Mara, Kenya

© Andy Rouse/Minden Picture

Masai giraffe

Our lonely giraffe has been pictured on the Maasai Mara. It's a large national game reserve in Kenya, and one of the world’s most important wildlife conservation areas. It was established in 1961 and is contiguous with the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania – together, the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem protects some 25,000 square kilometres. In addition to giraffes, the Maasai Mara is home to large populations of elephants, lions, cheetahs, rhinos, wildebeest, hippos, crocodiles, zebras and many more creatures.

While some zoologists consider the Masai giraffe its own species, most authorities recognise just one species of giraffe with nine subspecies. Masai giraffes like this one are the tallest of those, with males reaching heights of 5.5 metres. They range from southern Kenya, south through the Serengeti, and through all of Tanzania.