RantCrush Top 5: December 9, 2016

According to wildlife experts, giraffes are dying quickly and could be facing a “silent extinction.” The number of wild giraffes has dropped by almost 40 percent over the past three decades, mainly due to illegal hunting and habitat loss. So…once again, humans are to blame.

When we think about exotic wildlife going extinct, we usually think of elephants. But there are actually four times as many pachyderms–large mammals with very thick skin such as elephants, rhinos, or hippos–than giraffes.

Giraffes are the only mammal whose threat level changed this year. “As one of the world’s most iconic animals, it is timely that we stick our neck out for the giraffe before it’s too late,” said Julian Fennessey, co-director of the Giraffe Conservation Foundation.

We must do something for these incredible creatures. Wild giraffes are going ‘silently extinct’ #SavetheGiraffes https://t.co/ZaqMCoQEng

— Terry Atkin Rowe (@tarrowe) December 9, 2016

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.