Northern Giraffe

About the Northern Giraffe

The northern giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis), also known as the three-horned giraffe, is a species of giraffe native to North Africa. Once abundant throughout Africa since the 19th century, the Northern Giraffe ranged from Senegal, Mali and Nigeria from West Africa to up north in Egypt. The similar West African giraffe lived in Algeria and Morocco in ancient periods until their extinctions due to the Saharan dry climate.

Giraffes collectively are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, as the global population is thought to consist of about 97,000 individuals as of 2016. As of August 2025, the IUCN Giraffe and Okapi Specialist Group recognizes four distinct species of giraffe: the northern giraffe, the Masai giraffe, the reticulated giraffe, and the southern giraffe.

A 2021 whole genome sequencing study suggested the northern giraffe as a separate species, and postulates the existence of three distinct subspecies, and more recently, one extinct subspecies. This supports the 2025 IUCN reports.

There are three recognized subspecies of northern giraffe: the Kordofan giraffe, the Nubian giraffe, and the West African giraffe. Often mistaken... Wikipedia →