Reticulated Giraffe

Reticulated Giraffe

Giraffa reticulata

Silhouette: David M. Brown, Rick A. Brenneman, Klaus-Peter Koepfli, John P. Pollinger, Borja Milá, Nicholas J. Georgiadis, Edward E. Louis Jr., Gregory F. Grether, David K. Jacobs & Robert K. Wayne · PhyloPic

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
at Aberdare National Park

In 3 days ~60% in a week ~90%

29 Verified sightings at Aberdare National Park From 2019 to 2026
320 In all 3 parks
September Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Reticulated Giraffe

The reticulated giraffe (Giraffa reticulata) also known as the Somali giraffe is a species of giraffe native to the Horn of Africa. It is differentiated from the other giraffe species by its coat, which consists of large, polygonal (or squared), block-like spots, which extend onto the lower legs, tail and face. These prominent liver-red spots also show much less white between them, when compared to other giraffe species. With up to 6 meters in height, the reticulated giraffe is the largest species of giraffe and the tallest land animal in general. While the reticulated giraffe may yet still be found in parts of its historic range, such as areas of Somalia and Ethiopia, its population stronghold is primarily within Kenya. There are approximately 8,500 individuals living in the wild. In both captivity and the wild, as of 2024 there are 15,785 individuals across the world.

Reticulated giraffes can interbreed with other giraffe species in captivity, or if they come into contact with other species of giraffe in the wild, such as the Masai giraffe (G. tippelskirchii). Along with the aforementioned Masai giraffe, as well as the Baringo or Rothschild's giraffe (G. c. rothschildi), the reticulated giraffe is among the most commonly seen giraffe species in animal parks and zoos. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Meru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~80%
2 Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
~60%
3 Aberdare National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~30%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

# Zoo / Centre Country
1 Pairi Daiza 🇧🇪 Belgium In captivity
2 ZooParc de Beauval 🇫🇷 France In captivity
3 Copenhagen Zoo 🇩🇰 Denmark In captivity
4 Zlín-Lešná Zoo 🇨🇿 Czechia In captivity
5 Kolmården Wildlife Park 🇸🇪 Sweden In captivity
6 Réserve africaine de Sigean 🇫🇷 France In captivity
7 Kaliningrad Zoo 🇷🇺 Russia In captivity
8 Bioparque Estrella 🇲🇽 Mexico In captivity
9 Ponderosa Adventure Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica In captivity
10 Taipei Zoo 🇹🇼 Taiwan In captivity
11 La Reserva del Castillo de las Guardas 🇪🇸 Spain In captivity
12 Nehru Zoological Park 🇮🇳 India In captivity
13 Haller Park 🇰🇪 Kenya In captivity
14 Planète Sauvage 🇫🇷 France In captivity
15 Kristiansand Zoo and Amusement Park 🇳🇴 Norway In captivity
16 Saitama Children's Zoo 🇯🇵 Japan In captivity
17 Shanghai Zoo 🇨🇳 China In captivity
18 Milwaukee County Zoo 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
19 Nanjing Hongshan Forest Zoo 🇨🇳 China In captivity
20 Yorkshire Wildlife Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom In captivity
21 Banham Zoo 🇬🇧 United Kingdom In captivity
22 Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
23 Tama Zoological Park 🇯🇵 Japan In captivity
24 Leofoo Village Theme Park 🇹🇼 Taiwan In captivity
25 Africam Safari 🇲🇽 Mexico In captivity
26 Chongqing Zoo 🇨🇳 China In captivity
27 Guadalajara Zoo 🇲🇽 Mexico In captivity
28 Joya Grande 🇭🇳 Honduras In captivity
29 Zoológico de San Juan de Aragón 🇲🇽 Mexico In captivity
30 Kyiv Zoo 🇺🇦 Ukraine In captivity
31 Colchester Zoo 🇬🇧 United Kingdom In captivity
32 Edinburgh Zoo 🇬🇧 United Kingdom In captivity
33 Calgary Zoo 🇨🇦 Canada In captivity
34 Diergaarde Blijdorp 🇳🇱 Netherlands In captivity
35 Bristol Zoo Project 🇬🇧 United Kingdom In captivity
36 Indianapolis Zoo 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
37 Wildlands 🇳🇱 Netherlands In captivity
38 Zoológico Benito Juárez 🇲🇽 Mexico In captivity
39 Africa Alive! 🇬🇧 United Kingdom In captivity
40 Langenberg Wildlife Park 🇨🇭 Switzerland In captivity
41 Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
42 Schönbrunn Zoo 🇦🇹 Austria In captivity
43 Cebu Safari and Adventure Park 🇵🇭 Philippines In captivity
44 ZooParc Overloon 🇳🇱 Netherlands In captivity
45 Asahiyama Zoo 🇯🇵 Japan In captivity
46 El Paso Zoo 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
47 Riverbanks Zoo 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
48 bioparco 🇮🇹 Italy In captivity
49 Plaswijckpark 🇳🇱 Netherlands In captivity
50 Nairobi Safari Walk 🇰🇪 Kenya In captivity

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Reticulated Giraffe in Aberdare National Park?

Possible

About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Reticulated Giraffe sighting in Aberdare National Park on a given day, based on 29 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 19th most-seen of the 19 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 60%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Reticulated Giraffe in Aberdare National Park?

September and October

In those months about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Reticulated Giraffe in Aberdare National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April and May, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Reticulated Giraffe?

Between 3 and 6 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Reticulated Giraffe sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Aberdare National Park the best place to see a Reticulated Giraffe?

3rd of 3

Of the 3 parks where we can rate Reticulated Giraffe sightings, Aberdare National Park ranks 3rd at about 30%. The best odds are in Meru National Park (Kenya, about 80%) and Samburu National Reserve (Kenya, about 60%).

Which relatives of the Reticulated Giraffe live in Aberdare National Park?

Same order: Artiodactyla

The closest relatives of the Reticulated Giraffe that you can see in Aberdare National Park (order Artiodactyla, Even-toed Ungulates and Cetaceans) are Northern Bushbuck (about 80%), Giant Forest Hog (about 80%) and African Buffalo (about 80%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Reticulated Giraffe sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Reticulated Giraffe is recorded against all the mammals logged in Aberdare National Park (29 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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