Rothschild’s giraffe Uganda is one of the world’s most endangered giraffe subspecies, present only at Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda and the focus of a successful conservation programme. Rothschild’s giraffe is the giraffe of Uganda, now usually treated as part of the Nubian giraffe, which the IUCN lists as Critically Endangered. Uganda holds more than half of all wild Nubian giraffes, most of them in Murchison Falls National Park, with smaller populations in Kidepo Valley, Lake Mburo and Pian Upe. You can tell them from other giraffes by their pale, unspotted lower legs, which look like white stockings.

Rothschild’s Giraffe in Uganda: Where to See It

How Uganda saved its giraffes

Giraffes were heavily poached during the 1970s and 1980s, and Murchison’s population fell to a few dozen animals north of the Nile. Protection since then has let numbers rise to well over a thousand. Uganda Wildlife Authority and the Giraffe Conservation Foundation have moved giraffes to new areas, including south of the Nile within Murchison, Lake Mburo in 2015 and Pian Upe, spreading the risk if disease or poaching hits one population.

Biology and behaviour

Giraffes browse acacia and other trees with long, flexible tongues, and their height lets them feed where other herbivores cannot reach. Rothschild’s giraffes often show extra bony bumps on the head besides the two main ossicones. Herds are loose and change membership often. Lions are the main predator, mostly of calves, and giraffes are vulnerable when drinking with legs splayed.

Where to see them

The northern bank of the Nile in Murchison Falls, especially the Buligi area, is the best place to see big herds. The gorilla permit costs US$800, or US$600 in April, May and November. See our guides to Murchison Falls animals, Kidepo game drives, Lake Mburo and gorillas plus Murchison.

Frequently asked questions

Murchison Falls: The Only Uganda Site

Rothschild’s giraffe (also called the Nubian giraffe or Baringo giraffe) is found in Uganda only in Murchison Falls National Park, where a population of approximately 30 to 40 animals has been established through conservation translocation. The Rothschild’s giraffe was historically present in north-western Uganda, but the population collapsed to near-extinction during the political turmoil and poaching of the 1970s to 1990s. The current Murchison Falls population was established through animals from the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre supplemented by wild-caught individuals, and has grown steadily under protection.

Identification: Rothschild’s vs Other Giraffes

Rothschild’s giraffe is distinguished from the Masai and reticulated giraffes of Kenya and Tanzania by its blotch pattern: large, cream-edged brown patches on a cream background, with the lower legs remaining cream-white without the patterning seen in Masai giraffes. Rothschild’s also typically has five ossicones (horn-like protrusions on the head) — two main horns, one median horn on the forehead, and sometimes two small ear ossicones — compared to two in most other giraffe forms.

Conservation Status

Rothschild’s giraffe is classified as Endangered by the IUCN as a subspecies, with the total population estimated at under 2,000 individuals globally. The majority are in Kenya and the Ugandan population, while small, is significant. Uganda Wildlife Authority’s protection of Murchison Falls National Park is critical for this population.

Viewing and Photography

Rothschild’s giraffes in Murchison Falls are commonly seen on game drives of the northern bank and are habituated to vehicles — close encounters at a few metres are possible. Game drives from Paraa (on the northern bank) in the late afternoon, when giraffes are actively feeding from tall trees, provide the best photographic conditions. The giraffes are easily identified in the open savannah landscape and can be seen from several kilometres away.

Giraffe Conservation Programme in Uganda

Uganda’s Rothschild’s giraffe conservation is managed jointly by Uganda Wildlife Authority and the Giraffe Conservation Foundation. The Murchison Falls population was established from Uganda Wildlife Education Centre animals and supplemented with wild-caught individuals. Regular monitoring tracks herd size, individual identity (by unique coat pattern), calf survival, and movements within the park. The Giraffe Conservation Foundation’s work in Uganda includes community education about giraffe biology and the importance of the Rothschild’s subspecies. Visitor entry fees to Murchison Falls National Park contribute directly to the conservation management of this population. For visitors, the opportunity to photograph Rothschild’s giraffe — one of the world’s most threatened giraffe subspecies — in the wild at Murchison Falls is a privilege that very few parks in the world can offer.