East African giraffes may be in even greater danger than scientists thought. It is reported by “Gazeta.Ru” with reference to Pennsylvania State University.

Douglas Cavener and his colleagues found that the Masai giraffe is even more vulnerable because its habitat is divided into two non-communicating parts. The Great Rift Valley cuts through East Africa, and its steep escarpments are major barriers to wildlife migration.

The scientists concluded that the giraffe populations on either side of the fault are genetically distinct, with each population having less genetic diversity than if they were one, larger, interconnected population. The lower the genetic diversity of a population, the less healthy it is, on average, due to closely related ties, and the smaller the population, the stronger this pattern manifests itself, the researchers say.

Giraffe populations have declined rapidly over the past thirty years, with fewer than 100 000 left worldwide. The Masai giraffe, found in east Africa in Tanzania and southern Kenya, has declined by about 50% over this period due to illegal hunting and habitat destruction, leaving about 35 000 individuals left, the source notes.