Meet the Hirola



Welcome to the Savanna Grasslands. Here you will find the Hirola. At first glance you may think it is a deer with funny looking antlers, but in fact it is a species of its own. They reside along the border of Kenya and Somalia and are a rare type of antelope.
There is predicted to be only about 402-466 of these creatures left and are classified as critically endangered. In the local culture they are a significant symbol of good cattle and are a good sign. If they were to disappear, the locals believe their cattle will disappear as well.

Not only are they important to the local villagers, but they are selective grazers and are an integral part of the grassland ecosystem. They are declining due to drought, poaching, invasive diseases, agriculture and habitat loss.

These animals are the last of its kind. They are the sole member of their genus, Beatragus, and are considered to be a living fossil. We cannot lose these rare and beautiful creatures. 

Currently a small population of the Hirola have been moved to a national reserve, away from their natural habitat, in order to help preserve them. However, many other conservation efforts need to be taking place. More research is needed on population and harvest level trends. This is where geospatial tools come in handy. Tracking devices with GPS location would help to keep track of each specific Hirola to see what they are dying from because there are many different threats to the species. 

But what can you do?
1. Donate to the Hirola Conservation Program Donate HERE!
2. Participate in World Hirola Day on August 12th.
3. Volunteer for the HCP CLICK HERE!
4. Educate yourself, learn more about the Hirola and the plight of many other grassland species in Kenya!
5. Share your knowledge with others! The more people who know about the plight of the Hirola, the more action will be taken.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Extra! Extra! Read All About it! The Giant Tortoises are in Trouble!

Image
Have you hear of Lonesome George? He was the last survivor of a subspecies of giant tortoises on Pinta Island. Sadly, researchers and conservationists never found him a mate and he passed away in 2012. Leaving no more Pinta Island large tortoises. This sad tale may soon be the case for many other subspecies of this majestic animal. With these creatures weighing up to 700 pounds and spanning 4 feet long you would think we would see more of them, but that is not the case. Their population is unknown but they are classified as a vulnerable species. Also known as the Galapagos Tortoise there home lies within the Galapagos Islands. These animals are huge sleepers and nap for up to 16 hours a day. The rest of the time they are basking in the sun or eating leave, grass and cacti. They live the dream tropical lifestyle. So why are they in danger? Their main threats to survival are the introduction of nonnative species like feral pigs, dogs and cows. They threaten these tortoises f...
Read more

Save the Bonobos!

Image
Welcome to the forests south of the Congo River! While many species live in these lush forests, a close relative to humans, the Bonobo has been a long-term resident. When you see a bonobo you may think you have just seen a chimpanzee, but while they look quite similar a bonobo is darker, smaller and leaner. However, both the bonobo and the chimpanzee share 98.7% of their DNA with humans making them our closest relatives.  With approximately only 10,000 to 50,000 bonobos left in the world, you may wonder why our closest relative is disappearing so fast and is endangered. The main reason is due to the poaching of these precious mammals and deforestation. The civil unrest and mass poverty in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has hindered these animals survival even more. The true population of these creatures are unknown, but scientists believe that they have been in decline for the past 30 years and will continue to decline for the next half of the century. Due to the ever pre...
Read more