Giraffe Extinction: Using Science and Technology to Save the Gentle Giants

Anderson, Tanya

ISBN 10: 1541532384 ISBN 13: 9781541532380

Publisher: Twenty-First Century Books ™, 2019

Synopsis

Quietly, without most people noticing, the population of giraffes in the wild has decreased by nearly 40 percent since 1985. Giraffes have disappeared entirely from seven countries where they used to live. Researchers believe fewer than 98,000 exist in the wild―fewer even than endangered African elephants. In 2016, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature added giraffes to the organization's Red List of Threatened Species. What is causing their disappearance? Overpopulation of humans in giraffe habitats and illegal poaching. Learn about giraffes' physical characteristics, habitats, and life cycles; examine the dangers they face from humans and climate change; and meet the scientists working to save these gentle giants using technology and conservation efforts.

About this title

About the Author

Tanya Anderson is an award-winning editor of books for young readers. Her particular passion is to create engaging nonfiction books for reluctant readers, those who are capable readers but who have become uninterested in reading. Anderson discovered this need when she taught high school history and English. She continues in her role as a teacher and guide through the books she edits and writes.
Anderson graduated from Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio, after a dozen years in the education field, she followed her dream of joining the children's book publishing world. She has worked for more than twenty years in various editorial functions for Pages Publishing Group/Willowisp Press, Guideposts for Teens, SRA/McGraw-Hill, Darby Creek Publishing, and now has her own book packaging company, School Street Media. Besides working with some of the most wonderful authors and illustrators in the business, Anderson has also had more than thirty books published in the children's and educational book markets.

Review

"Giraffes have been known to humans for millennia, and this book introduces this beloved species and the threats it faces. Ancient petroglyphs of giraffes exist in Namibia, and giraffes' striking features have been familiar in illustrations from ancient times to the present day. The scientific community widely assumed that they were abundant. However, a report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature alerted scientists to a 40% decline in the number of giraffes in the wild between 1985 and 2015. The author describes the study of giraffes, beginning with field studies by pioneering Canadian biologist Anne Innis Dagg in the 1950s, and the gradual growth in understanding of giraffe subspecies, characteristics, and behavior that led to the discovery of their 'silent extinction' and the movement to conserve and protect the species. The author systematically analyzes the reasons behind their declining population, which include animal predators, poaching, habitat loss, war, climate change, and trophy hunting. The book is engagingly designed, with color photographs, informative sidebars, detailed features such as those about giraffe taxonomy and the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya, and information about conservation and rescue organizations. A fascinating and comprehensive analysis of the tragic decline of giraffes and the heroic efforts to reverse this trend."―Kirkus Reviews

(Journal)

"This sobering look at an iconic African animal offers insights into the complex challenges the giraffe faces. A 2015 study revealing that this keystone species' numbers are in rapid decline came as a shock and a call to action. This book introduces the different giraffe species and the various efforts being made to protect them from what has become known as the 'Silent Extinction.' The International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species is explained and referenced throughout the ensuing discussion of giraffes' vulnerability status, and other tools used by scientists and conservationists are likewise explained. Important work by groups such as the Giraffe Conservation Foundation is relayed in detail, as is the critical importance of working with local people to address broader issues, like poaching that results from a region's poverty. Though the text can be dry, it is well researched and will prove a useful resource to students researching wildlife conservation. The last two chapters spotlight positive examples of giraffe conservation and offer ways to advocate for these quiet creatures."―Booklist

(Journal)

"In this slim volume crammed with information, readers learn why the world's giraffe population has decreased by 40 percent since 1985. Written in short chapters interspersed with color photographs and infographics, this title will appeal to striving readers. It's packed with facts about the giraffe's taxonomy, its nine subspecies, and the threats to its population in Africa. Plenty of teens are interested in endangered species, but this title is probably better suited to those doing research rather than to casual readers. The author delves into great detail about the illegal poaching, deforestation, diseases, military conflicts, and human overpopulation that are causing the rapid decline in the giraffe's numbers. Though the volume is marketed to high school readers, the explanation of simple terms like symbiosis and parasites indicates that the book might be better suited to a middle school audience. The two photos of giraffes that have been killed might upset younger readers, but the book ends on a hopeful note, focusing on the conservation efforts of various independent organizations. Anderson also suggests that readers can use social media to spread awareness, particularly on World Giraffe Day, June 21. The author's meticulous research is apparent from the extensive back matter, including source notes, a bibliography, and suggested further reading. VERDICT Purchase for school and public libraries where endangered species are a hot research topic."―School Library Journal

(Journal)

Edition details

• Publisher: Twenty-First Century Books ™
• Publication date: 2019
• ISBN 10: 1541532384
• ISBN 13: 9781541532380
• Binding: Library Binding
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 128