Giraffes need endangered species protection, U.S. officials say

Giraffe populations are in trouble — and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Wednesday proposed listing three subspecies of the tall animals as endangered and two species as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

Their populations have been declining because of poaching, habitat loss and climate change, officials said. While giraffes are not native to the U.S., listing them under the act would still provide protections to giraffe populations. 

The Endangered Species Act, enacted in 1973, establishes protections for fish, wildlife and plants that are listed as threatened or endangered. Under the act, federal agencies are required to ensure their actions are unlikely to jeopardize listed species, according to the agency.