In the dry regions of East Africa lives a group of animals unlike any others. Known as the Samburu Special Five to safari operators in Kenya, they are the dry-adapted reticulated giraffe (Giraffa reticulata), Grévy’s zebra (Equus grevyi), beisa oryx (Oryx beisa), gerenuk (Litocranius walleri) and Somali ostrich (Struthio molybdophanes). But they are increasingly imperiled by climate change. Their group nickname is derived from the famous Big Five — the lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhinoceros — considered the most difficult to hunt by early trophy hunters. But the Special Five are so-called because they are unique species of animals found elsewhere. “They have some distinct features that are ways of adapting to the environment that they live in,” says Samuel Mutahi, a regional specialist and senior program officer for wildlife crimes, in charge of the East African region for International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). This region of the Horn of Africa is hot and dry, except during two short rainy seasons. These harsh conditions have driven the remarkable adaptations of the Special Five. “These animals are restricted to a geographical area — northern Kenya, southern Ethiopia and Somalia — and they only exist in that place,” Mutahi says. But they have evolved remarkable adaptations to survive this harsh, dry region. Reticulated giraffe (Giraffa reticulata). Image courtesy of J.Retton. Of the Grévy’s zebra, Mutahi says, “The white stripes are more distinctive than the black ones to reflect the heat. It allows them to regulate their body temperature and not…This article was originally published on Mongabay

From Conservation news via this RSS feed