Once in a while there are good news about places where one is used to get bad news from. In this case it´s about the last West African Giraffes. Well, at least if we put everything into perspective, the news is relatively good. The decline of the giraffe population has been stopped and is on the reverse, i.e. population numbers are rising. This is the result of efforts by the Government of Niger in cooperation with the Association to Safeguard Giraffes in Niger. Besides poaching, the destruction of Tiger Bush is a major threat to the animals. The Tiger Bush helps bands of trees thrive in this extremely dry environment, yet it´s being cut down because farmers want to expand their farmland. But the giraffes feed off the trees. Here we are at the point of proper perspective. For a long time Nigeriens have suffered from the harsh conditions their country faces; saving human lives and improving living conditions stands prior to anything else. Luckily some things are progressing and the joint effort by all parties has lead to reforestation, improved farming methods, and the conservation of the giraffe population provides opportunities for eco tourism.

We saw these giraffes on our way from Niamey down to the border of Benin. They belong to the Dosso herd which migrates seasonally between the Kosso and Kouré areas.

Relaxing in the trees shade 

Long necks not necessarily because of higher leafs. A second sexual selection theory leads to

believe that long necks in males are an advantage in "necking" for dominance.

Long necked males are more attractive to females, ergo, male vanity

and the neck have grown over time.

The necks vanish

To these two gentlemen we were the bigger attraction.

Because of their height, giraffes have the highest blood pressure of all mammals. They have a smart

and complex mechanism of heart, veins, artery walls, blood vessels and valves, that pumps the

blood up to the head and also allows them to bend down low for drinking.

Mother and calf

On the road again

More pics of Niger