According to IUCN, the world’s giraffe population has dipped from 163,000 in 1985 to 97,000 in 2015—a whopping 40 percent drop in the last 30 years.
Although many expect to see the creatures running around on safari or grazing in zoos across the countries, the iconic creatures have already completely disappeared from seven African countries. Scientists believe the decline is most likely due to a loss of habitat and illegal hunting.
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Because “giraffes are commonly seen on safari, in the media, and in zoos, people—including conservationists—are unaware that these majestic animals are undergoing a silent extinction,” IUCN co-chairman Julian Fennessy said in the report.
The IUCN report also confirmed 860 plant and animal species as extinct, and another 68 extinct in the wild. Nearly 13,000 different other species are endangered or critically endangered right now.
