Now Published: Giraffe Highway Crossing Research

Dear Giraffe Friends,

Since 2021, Save Giraffes Now has researched the effects of Mombasa Road, a major highway and shipping route from the port of Mombasa, Kenya, to the capital city of Nairobi, on the giraffe and other wildlife. We are happy to share that this research is now published!

The study has revealed how climate change, habitat fragmentation, and expanding infrastructure are creating growing challenges for giraffes and other wildlife in Kenya’s Athi-Kapiti, a critical wildlife corridor connecting Nairobi National Park to the Amboseli ecosystem.

Photo: Giraffes attempting dangerous road crossing

By analyzing four years of road mortality data alongside satellite-derived measures of drought and vegetation productivity, we confirmed that prolonged drought conditions in this area force wildlife to travel farther in search of food and water, increasing their exposure to busy highways. For giraffe and all wildlife, this creates a deadly barrier in an increasingly fragmented landscape.

Photo: Giraffe during study of highway crossing.

Photo: Giraffe spotted near highway.

For giraffes, whose movements are essential for accessing seasonal resources and maintaining healthy populations, roads can become deadly barriers in an increasingly fragmented landscape. These findings underscore the urgent need to safeguard wildlife connectivity through strategic conservation planning, habitat restoration, and wildlife-friendly infrastructure that allows giraffes to move safely across the landscapes they depend on.

Save Giraffes Now, together with partners such as Nashville Zoo, remains committed to advancing science-based conservation solutions that ensure giraffes can thrive alongside sustainable development across Africa’s rapidly changing landscapes.

Save Giraffes Now has made great progress in our giraffe conservation efforts; however, there is much work left to do, and we need your help. Your financial support helps to ensure giraffe can live freely and safely in their native Africa for generations to come.

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