Food supply and poaching limit giraffe abundance in the Serengeti

Giraffe populations in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, have declined significantly from densities of 1.5–2.6 individuals per km² in the 1970s to just 0.3–0.4 per km² today, despite an increase in woody cover. This decline is primarily driven by a reduction in diet quality due to the replacement of preferred Acacia trees with unpalatable species and heightened poaching, particularly in western and northern regions. The study used decision tables to analyze four extrinsic factors—food supply, predation, parasites, and poaching—and found that poaching has had a substantial negative impact on adult survival. Leslie matrix models suggest that reducing poaching could improve giraffe survival rates. While the population may persist at low-to-moderate densities until preferred tree species recover, urgent conservation efforts are needed to mitigate further declines.

Strauss, M. K. L., Kilewo, M., Rentsch, D., & Packer, C. (2015). Food supply and poaching limit giraffe abundance in the Serengeti. Population Ecology, 57(3), 505–516. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10144-015-0499-9