Photo by amivitale | A reticulated giraffe towers above the shrubbery at loisaba_conservancy in Laikipia, Kenya. One theory for the giraffe's long neck? It provides an advantage in securing nutrients; they can reach leaves that no other animals can. Others posit that the necks are a result of sexual selection—males battle with their necks to win mates. Most recently scientists have hypothesized that long necks can help fight the heat—a greater surface area allows more heat to escape. Whichever it may be, these fascinating creatures are vulnerable. Their numbers fell 30 percent in three decades, plummeting from approximately 155,000 in the late 1980s to a low of 110,000. Since 2015, though, they've showed signs of a recovery, to about 117,000. Within that total, reticulated giraffe number around 16,000. Learn more, including how to help, by following amivitale savegiraffesnow and giraffe_conservation. #giraffe #giraffes #africa #kenya