OPERATION SAHEL GIRAFFE II: NIGER

In a bold and high-risk conservation mission dubbed Operation Sahel Giraffe II, four endangered West African giraffe were successfully translocated over 800 kilometers from Niger’s fragile ‘Giraffe Zone’ to the Gadabedji Biosphere Reserve. Led by the Giraffe Conservation Foundation in partnership with Niger’s Ministry of Environment and international NGOs, this operation builds on the historic 2018 reintroduction after a 50-year local extinction. Undertaken under tight military protection in a region marked by security threats, this daring journey marks a critical step toward establishing a second viable population of West African giraffe — a subspecies once reduced to just 49 individuals in the wild. Today, thanks to decades of collaborative conservation efforts, over 600 now roam Niger, a testament to the power of local stewardship, strategic planning, and international support in reversing the silent extinction of giraffe across Africa.