Monarto and Adelaide Zoo’s gorgeous giraffes are asking for your help today to make a difference this World Giraffe Day.

Sadly, wild giraffe populations have plummeted by 40 per cent over the last 30 years. It is estimated there are less than 100,000 giraffe remaining in Africa.

Monarto Safari Park’s incredibly successful giraffe breeding program is a significant piece of the puzzle working to secure a viable insurance population of giraffe in zoos.

In fact, Monarto has the most successful giraffe breeding program in Australasia. Since 2011, the herd has successfully birthed 44 healthy calves.

Most recently, keepers were proud to hand raise a healthy female baby affectionately called Eyelean.

The young beauty was kept under the watchful eye of her keepers for three months after she was mis-mothered from first time mum Thula.

Now an iconic part of the herd, Eyelean represents an important achievement for the conservation of the giraffe population, and of Zoos SA’s dedication to the survival of the gentle giants.

As a conservation charity, Zoos SA is strongly committed to ensuring this species remain for generations to come.

This World Giraffe Day, Zoos SA is proud to have partnered with the Giraffe Conservation Foundation to raise funds for Operation Twiga III.

This project will have local groups in Uganda working to save the Nubian Giraffe, a unique subspecies that is vital to maintaining genetic diversity within the world’s giraffe population.

Visitors can contribute to this vital project by making a donation at the giraffe exhibit at Adelaide Zoo and at the Waterhole viewing platform at Monarto Safari Park.