DESERT-DWELLING GIRAFFE | NORTHWEST NAMIBIA
For generations, desert-adapted giraffe have survived in one of Africa’s harshest landscapes, moving vast distances between scarce water sources. Once under severe pressure, these populations are now showing signs of recovery following decades of coordinated, science-led conservation.
Natural Selection has supported the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) since 2018, the world’s leading authority on giraffe conservation and management across Africa. Based in Namibia and active in 12 countries, GCF is the only organisation globally dedicated exclusively to giraffe in the wild.
Our early support began through Hoanib Valley Camp, where 60% of the 1.5% conservation levy from every guest stay is donated to GCF. This long-term partnership supports research, monitoring, and community-led conservation initiatives that have contributed to a steady increase in desert-dwelling Angolan giraffe numbers.
Working alongside local communities, government, NGOs and academic partners, GCF’s research in this region has reshaped global understanding of giraffe taxonomy—identifying four distinct species and elevating the conservation urgency for vulnerable populations. What is visible today is a growing giraffe population; what remains largely unseen is the depth of science, long-term commitment and collaborative stewardship that continues to secure their future.
ETOSHA HEIGHTS GIRAFFE CONSERVATION | NAMIBIA
Our support also extends to research at Etosha Heights through the Etosha Heights Conservation Centre, a collaboration between GCF, the Namibia University of Science & Technology Biodiversity Research Centre and Etosha Heights Private Reserve. Giraffe tagging conducted here has significantly advanced understanding of movement ecology within Etosha Heights and the greater Etosha south-west landscape. These findings inform practical land-use decisions, ensuring conservation planning is guided by long-term ecological data.
GIRAFFE TRANSLOCATION | NAMIBIA
In parts of southern Africa, giraffe conservation has moved beyond protection to restoration. Natural Selection has supported the translocation of 14 giraffe from Namibia to Iona National Park in Angola, where decades of civil conflict eliminated them from the areas they once inhabited.
This work represents more than species movement. It marks the re-establishment of ecological function across borders—guided by genetic research, habitat suitability assessments and long-term monitoring to ensure population viability.
GIRAFFE GENETICS & MOVEMENT | BOTSWANA
As landscapes change, understanding how giraffe move—and why—has become critical. In 2022, Natural Selection funded Botswana’s first country-wide giraffe DNA sampling project, collecting 118 samples from 26 locations. The research clarified giraffe distribution and taxonomy, informed national conservation planning, and contributed to the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA) Giraffe Conservation Strategy.
Building on this foundation, Natural Selection is funding the Giraffe Conservation Foundation’s giraffe tagging and movement ecology programme through 2026 and beyond. Using GPS satellite tracking, this work delivers the first detailed insights into giraffe movements within Botswana and across international boundaries—data essential for understanding habitat connectivity and managing populations in a rapidly changing, human-dominated landscape.
The countrywide initiative includes several Natural Selection properties, with Khwai Private Reserve and Mokolwane (NG29) identified as priority research sites. Four Natural Selection team members—two zoologists, a Khwai Private Reserve ranger and a Thamo Telele guide—are actively involved in fieldwork, strengthening local capacity and long-term monitoring efforts.
CONSERVATION EDUCATION AT THAMO TELELE | BOTSWANA
Research is strengthened through education. At Thamo Telele, we have established a Giraffe Education Programme that combines immersive visitor experiences with conservation awareness, while laying the foundation for a dedicated education centre for local schoolchildren. Set on a 250-hectare private game reserve on the outskirts of Maun, Thamo Telele is home to a growing population of resident giraffe. The reserve provides a controlled yet natural setting for daily observation, monitoring and learning. Appropriately, Thamo Telele means “long neck” in Setswana.
While not directly involved in field research, Thamo Telele plays a key role as a champion of giraffe conservation in Botswana, using its interactive giraffe sundowner experience to translate research into accessible, meaningful conservation awareness for guests and local communities alike.
