Order Artiodactyla Genus Giraffa Rank Subspecies | Phylum Chordata Higher classification Giraffe | |
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Scientific name Giraffa camelopardalis antiquorum Similar Giraffe, Rhodesian giraffe, Angolan giraffe, West African giraffe, Nubian giraffe | ||
The Kordofan giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis antiquorum) is a subspecies of northern giraffe found in northern Cameroon, southern Chad, Central African Republic and possibly western Sudan. Historically some confusion has existed over the exact range limit of this subspecies compared to the West African giraffe, with populations in e.g. northern Cameroon formerly assigned to the latter. Genetic work has also revealed that all "West African giraffe" in European zoos are in fact Kordofan giraffe. Compared to most other subspecies, the Kordofan giraffe has relatively small, more irregular spots on the inner legs. Its English name is a reference to Kordofan in Sudan. There are around 2,000 individuals living in the wild.
The Christian Science Monitor lists only 38 individuals being alive in the embattled Garamba National Park in The Democratic Republic of Congo due to poaching; their skin is used for luxury goods and they are said to produce enough meat to feed poachers for 'weeks'. Recent genetic studies also shows distinct genetic populations of giraffe that makes conservation of these subspecies even more important.
