Factors Affecting the Survival of Giraffe in Ethiopia

Abstract

Giraffe is a social animal and a none- territorial and tend to live in a small group. In Ethiopia there are two species of giraffe; the Nubian giraffe (Giraffa Camelopardlis) and Retuculatied  giraffe ( Giraffa reticulated ) occur in southern low lands in east of Omo river including the Mago national park, Borena and Ogden  area. Giraffe populations in Ethiopia diminished over the past century in diversity, density and distribution as a result of illegal hunting, habitat degradation, civil war and unrest, Absence of a compressive land use plan, lack of comprehensive research, the impact of skin disease in giraffe population and land degradation due to overgrazing. This review discusses the different physical and biological factors that leads to the declining of giraffe population in Ethiopia.

Key words: Biological factors, Ethiopia, Giraffe, Physical factors