Masai giraffes are the largest and most distinctive subspecies of giraffes, with dark brown patches on their coats and long horns on their heads.
They are found only in Tanzania and southern Kenya, where they roam the savannas and woodlands in search of food and water.
They are also one of the most endangered subspecies of giraffes, with a population decline of about 50% in the last 30 years due to poaching, habitat loss, and human-wildlife conflict.
A new study led by researchers at Penn State University has revealed that Masai giraffes are even more threatened than previously thought because they are genetically isolated from each other by a natural barrier: the Great Rift Valley.
The Great Rift Valley is a massive geological feature that runs through eastern Africa, creating steep escarpments and deep valleys that separate different regions and ecosystems.
The researchers analyzed the genomes of 100 Masai giraffes from both sides of the rift, using both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA.
They found that the two populations have not interbred or exchanged genetic material for more than a thousand years and in some cases hundreds of thousands of years.
This means that they are effectively separate evolutionary units that should be considered separately for conservation purposes.
The Implications for conservation and Management
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The genetic isolation of Masai giraffes has important implications for their conservation and management, as per Phys.org.
It means that each population has a unique genetic diversity and history that needs to be preserved and protected.
It also means that each population faces different threats and challenges that require specific interventions and solutions.
For example, the population on the western side of the rift is smaller and more fragmented than the one on the eastern side, making it more vulnerable to inbreeding, disease, and local extinction.
The population on the eastern side is larger and more connected, but also more exposed to human activities such as agriculture, urbanization, and infrastructure development.
Both populations are affected by illegal hunting for their meat, skins, and tails, which are used for cultural and medicinal purposes.
The researchers recommend that the two populations of Masai giraffes be managed separately but coordinately, with different strategies and actions tailored to their specific needs and contexts.
They also suggest that more research be done to monitor the genetic health and status of each population, as well as to identify potential corridors or bridges that could facilitate gene flow and migration across the rift.
