Wildlife

Giraffe Slaughter Threatening Species

One of world’s most iconic and beloved animals is rapidly disappearing from the plains and forests of Africa, according to a new warning by the Giraffe Conservation Foundation. The charity says the population of wild giraffes has plummeted by more than 40 percent over the past 15 years, down from about 140,000 animals across Africa in 1999 to 80,000 today.

“It’s a silent extinction,” the group’s director told ABC News.

Even though it is illegal to hunt giraffe, the animal’s meat is highly prized for its sweet taste.

Many are caught in crude snares that “pull tight around their necks or legs, causing strangulation and horrific wounds,” according to Richard Bonham, operations director for Kenya’s Big Life Foundation.

Animal rights groups say that on average, more than 100 wild giraffes are slaughtered each day.