The outcome of the 18th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES CoP18) was favorable for giraffes. Giraffes were previously unprotected and trade in the species was unregulated. However, CITES members voted to list giraffes on Appendix II.

An Appendix II listing is applied to species where trade must be regulated to prevent exploitation negatively affecting their future survival. Species facing extinction are typically listed on Appendix I where trade is off limits save for exceptional circumstances.

The regulation of trade in giraffe meat, bones, and hides is expected to have two main benefits for the species. Placing regulations increases the protection that will hopefully cut down on the illegal hunting currently plaguing giraffes. Additionally, regulations will allow for tracking and monitoring of trade that can be used to drive conservation efforts.

Despite being the world’s tallest mammal, giraffes suffer from being under researched. It wasn’t until 2016 that alarm bells finally started sounding for giraffes. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) gave the species a vulnerable status listing after finding the population declined by about 30% over the last 30 years. There are estimated to be around 100,000 left at this time.

The IUCN further added some of the nine giraffe subspecies were critically endangered and declining by more than half in the recent decades. This information is critical in driving protections as evidenced by the recent CoP18 outcome for giraffes. However, CITES regulations are currently set at the species level meaning critically endangered and least concern subspecies share the same level of protection.

An even set of regulations should help to strengthen protection on healthy populations while leaving others under protected. This is made more concerning due to a 2016 study claiming giraffes are actually four distinct species with five subspecies. This goes against the idea of one giraffe species and nine subspecies currently adopted by the IUCN and CITES.

The difference between a species and subspecies has been a topic of debate since the beginning of taxonomy. Differences are typically described at the genetic level but one of the rules of thumb has surrounded breeding practices. Species are typically seen as a group of populations where individuals can interbreed and produce viable offspring.