The Masai is the only one that distinctly looks different. The otheres to me just look darker or lighter in color.

Interestingly the Zambian's call the giraffe along the Luangwa as a seperate species called Thornycroft.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
May be

Oh just great. Now someone out there is going to start hyping the Giraffe Slam.

Thanks Saeed. Really.

quote:

Originally posted by rnovi:

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
May be

Oh just great. Now someone out there is going to start hyping the Giraffe Slam.

Thanks Saeed. Really.

Just what I would expect from the low life SCI INNER CIRCLE IDIOTS!

The definition of what constitutes a valid species is changing and will continue to change as our understanding of genetics and DNA improves. The SCI position of making even the slightest morphological variation into a full species is ridiculous but we have to accept the new evidence that creatures that look alike may not be the same thing at all.
For years all Kirks Dikdiks were considered one species but now we know there are at least four species with different chromosome numbers which, even if they mate, cannot produce fertile young.
I think the new description of 4 giraffe species is probably valid and the separation means that the only species hunted, the Southern giraffe, should be given "least concern" status.