Giraffes, known for their towering height and graceful movement, are facing a surprising challenge: steep terrain.

New research shows that giraffes prefer flat areas and avoid slopes greater than 20°, significantly limiting where they can live. This discovery could reshape how we plan for giraffe conservation.

The study, presented at the British Ecological Society’s Annual Meeting, analyzed data from 33 giraffes in South Africa, each fitted with GPS collars.

Researchers from the University of Manchester and the University of the Free State found that giraffes tolerate gentle slopes up to 12° if the area offers good vegetation.

However, anything steeper is off-limits, likely due to the risk of falling and the high energy needed to navigate steep terrain.

This preference for flat terrain highlights a mismatch between giraffes’ natural needs and the areas where they are being conserved. Many reserves in Africa include hilly or mountainous regions that giraffes simply cannot use. In countries like Namibia and Tanzania, about 8,000 square kilometers—nearly half the size of Wales—may be inaccessible to giraffes. In Kenya and South Africa, around 4,000 square kilometers are similarly unsuitable.

What’s more concerning is that some protected reserves have more unusable areas than the land outside of them. Fenced reserves, common in South Africa, make the issue worse. A reserve may look large on paper, but if steep mountains dominate the area, it becomes much smaller in reality for giraffes.

Jessica Granweiler, a PhD candidate at the University of Manchester, explained, “We often think of giraffes living in large, flat grasslands, but their habitats also include rolling hills and high plateaus. Our study shows they prefer flat areas and cannot adapt to steep landscapes due to physical limits. Conservation planning must take this into account.”

Giraffe populations are already under threat from habitat loss, poaching, and conflicts with humans. While they are spread across 21 African countries, their numbers have been declining. Conservation efforts often focus on vegetation, predators, and human activity but overlook the importance of terrain.

Steep environments are particularly tough for large animals like giraffes, explained Professor Susanne Shultz, Jessica’s PhD supervisor. Unfortunately, many protected areas are located in rugged landscapes, leading to a mismatch between giraffes’ needs and the places available for conservation.

“Incorporating geography and physical limits into habitat planning is crucial,” Shultz said. “We need to avoid placing giraffes in areas where they simply cannot thrive.”

The research used GPS data collected between 2011 and 2023 from giraffes across five South African reserves. Combined with topographic maps, this data revealed the slopes giraffes could navigate and the ones they avoided.

Dr. François Deacon, who led the GPS tracking project, emphasized the importance of understanding giraffe ecology. “The more we learn about giraffes, the better we can manage and protect them. It’s concerning that we’re still discovering major limitations in their behavior and habitats, but studies like this help close that knowledge gap.”

Conservationists must rethink how they choose and manage giraffe habitats. By considering terrain and topography alongside vegetation and human activity, we can create better environments for giraffes to survive and thrive. As giraffe populations face increasing pressures, addressing these challenges is more critical than ever.