natural reserve
13 giraffes relocated from Namibia to Angola
Giraffes in Iona National Park in Angola. Photo
© -/Giraffe Conservation Group/dpa
Giraffes were thought to be extinct in Angola for more than 100 years. Now a second group of long-legged creatures has been resettled in the southwest African country.
As part of a long-term nature conservation project, 13 giraffes have moved from Namibia to the neighboring country Angola. This is the second operation of this kind within a year; the animals were previously considered extinct in Angola for more than a century, according to the conservation organization Giraffe Conservation. Ten months ago, a first group of 14 giraffes was successfully resettled in Iona National Park.
Augusto Archer de Sousa Mangueira, the governor of Namibe province, where the park is located, described the arrival of the second group of giraffes as “another crucial step towards restoring the ecological balance of Iona National Park.” According to Giraffe Conservation, the giraffes were captured around 1,300 kilometers away in Namibia and transported to Angola for more than 48 hours. All 13 animals were released safely on Saturday.
Conservationists hope that the park’s entire ecosystem will benefit from the relocation of the giraffes. Among other things, their selective feeding habits will help strengthen the vegetation, as they play an important role in the spread of plant seeds.
Before the relocation, a feasibility study by the Namibia University of Science and Technology assessed various risk factors. This included examining the suitability of the habitat, risks associated with relocation and financial feasibility.
Around 117,000 giraffes in the wild
Over the past 35 years, the number of giraffes in Africa has declined by about a third, according to Giraffe Conservation. It is estimated that there are around 117,000 animals left in the wild. In Angola, among other things, a protracted civil war (1975 – 2002) also severely affected nature and contributed to the decline of many wild animal species.
The reintroduction of the giraffes is also intended to attract more tourists to the country of 36 million inhabitants in southern Africa, which is still at the beginning of developing its tourism sector due to the civil war.