Dwarf Giraffes Astound Researchers, Bring Awareness to Giraffe Conservation

A new study has identified dwarfism in the world’s tallest animal. Gimli and Nigel, the first known dwarf giraffes, live in Uganda and Namibia and are half as tall as their towering neighbors. Dwarfism in these incredible creatures may be the consequence of a decrease in genetic diversity as giraffe populations shrink. Michael Brown is the lead author on this new study, and he joins his enthusiasm for giraffe and science to develop sustainable solutions for giraffe conservation, both from home and from Africa’s plains. Guest: Michael Butler Brown, conservation science fellow with the Giraffe Conservation Foundation and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute