The Biden-Harris U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) proposal to list giraffes under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) is a misguided step that threatens to interfere with the proven conservation successes already taking place in southern and eastern Africa. Although this decision recognizes that giraffe populations are healthiest in countries where they are sustainably managed, including through responsible hunting, adding administrative burden could reduce those benefits to the detriment of the species. Even where giraffe populations are declining, an ESA listing does not support their recovery.
Not a Silver Bullet
The ESA is an important statute that protects our country’s domestic fauna and flora. However, the ESA does not provide any tangible benefits for foreign species. Listing a foreign species like giraffes doesn’t come with the necessary funding, critical habitat designations, or recovery plans that can make a real difference on the ground in the U.S. In this case, it is nothing more than a symbolic gesture from a lame-duck administration – not a strategy that will help giraffe populations in their native range states.
Across Africa, giraffes are thriving where they are responsibly hunted. Sustainable hunting provides vital funding for conservation, generating resources that go toward anti-poaching efforts, habitat protection, and community engagement. This proposed listing could disrupt this positive cycle by reducing U.S. hunters' contribution, cutting off a key funding stream that has been central to effective conservation. Conservation efforts could falter without that support, leaving the giraffes at greater risk.
A Step in the Wrong Direction
The USFWS’ decision is especially problematic because it doesn’t specifically exclude giraffe subspecies in southern and eastern Africa, where sustainable-use management has led to population growth. While some giraffe populations are declining, most giraffe populations in southern and eastern Africa are increasing. Rather than celebrating this success (as the ESA itself requires), the proposed listing creates new legal and administrative burdens that could hinder the very conservation work that has successfully protected giraffes. Red tape doesn’t save wildlife—local conservation strategies do.
A Smarter Way Forward
Conservation is most effective when it empowers local communities, governments, and conservationists to manage wildlife sustainably. In African range states, sustainable hunting has played a critical role in supporting giraffe populations while benefiting local economies. Instead of listing giraffe populations and subspecies that are increasing and well-managed, the USFWS should focus on backing the proven strategies already in place—strategies that are delivering results for giraffes and the people committed to their long-term survival.
– Ben Cassidy, EVP for International Government & Public Affairs at SCI
