Giraffe hunting in Zimbabwe

Giraffes, with their long necks and legs, need little introduction. People always marvel at the fact that they only have 7 cervical vertebrae, the same as a human being. These tall animals have excellent eyesight and a strange slow-motion gait and walk. Taking a drink with those long legs and neck also requires doing the splits to reach the water. Giraffes can be hunted in the southern and western areas of the country. Strangely enough, this species is absent from the Zambezi Valley where one would expect the find these animals. Zimbabwe at one stage was well known for some of its tame Giraffes and at one stage Giraffe milk was even sold at one of the roadside stalls. Males have darker skins than females and both sexes have short horns. Males may be identified from females by the thickness of the horns which are used when necking. Necking is the terminology used for fighting Giraffes when they stand side-by-side and slam their long necks and heads into one another. When these fights turn serious, the victorious bull may even kill his opponent during this exchange of lusty head-butting blows. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is drawing attention to the plight of Giraffes which are currently listed as vulnerable. Some subspecies are considered critically endangered but Giraffes in Southern Africa are flourishing and even culled for staff rations. Their status may be changed at any time so make sure that you are up to date regarding any import/export sanctions that may come into being. Learn more about Giraffe hunting from our blog