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Six Giraffes Brave Nile Crossing for New Home
7 Sep
Summary
- Six giraffes were carefully transported across Uganda's Nile River.
- The move established a second giraffe population to reduce extinction risk.
- Special vehicles and a ferry were used for the safe transit of the animals.
In 2016, a significant wildlife operation saw six critically endangered Nubian giraffes carefully transported across the Victoria Nile in Uganda. This move was part of "Operation Twiga I," orchestrated by the Uganda Wildlife Authority and the Giraffe Conservation Foundation.
The primary objective was to establish a second free-ranging population of giraffes within Murchison Falls National Park. This strategic translocation aimed to mitigate the extinction risks associated with concentrating nearly the entire population in one vulnerable area, which faced threats from poaching and potential oil development.
Conservationists utilized a specially constructed, open-topped vehicle equipped with leafy branches for the giraffes to browse on. For the river crossing, the entire vehicle was driven onto a ferry, ensuring the giraffes remained standing and calm throughout the journey. This innovative approach allowed for the safe relocation of 37 giraffes across two phases of the project by 2017.
Subsequent peer-reviewed monitoring has indicated high survival rates and positive population growth among these translocated giraffe populations in Uganda. This success highlights the effectiveness of such conservation interventions in safeguarding vulnerable species.
