Completed
East African Giraffe
Giraffa tippelskirchi
Silhouette: Jpatokal (photo) and T. Michael Keesey (tracing) · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassMammalia (Mammals)
- OrderArtiodactyla (Even-toed Ungulates and Cetaceans)
- FamilyGiraffidae (Giraffes and Okapi)
- GenusGiraffa (Giraffes)
- SpeciesGiraffa tippelskirchi (East African Giraffe)
In 3 days ~90% in a week >90%
216 Verified sightings at Ngorongoro Conservation Area From 2019 to 2026
3,299 In all 16 parks
November Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted
About the East African Giraffe
The Masai giraffe (Giraffa tippelskirchi), also spelled Maasai giraffe, and sometimes called the Kilimanjaro giraffe, is a species of giraffe. It is native to East Africa. The Masai giraffe can be found in central and southern Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and the Luangwa Valley region of Zambia. It has distinctive jagged, irregular leaf-like blotches that extend from the hooves to its head. The Masai giraffe is currently the national animal of Tanzania.
Genetic research on giraffes in 2016 determined that there are likely four separate species of giraffe rather than just one. The IUCN's Giraffe and Okapi Specialist Group has now accepted that there are four species of giraffes: the Masai giraffe, the reticulated giraffe, the northern giraffe, and the southern giraffe.[3] The Masai giraffe has therefore been elevated to a full species, the research also established that the Thornicroft's giraffe also known as the Luangwa giraffe, found in the Luangwa Valley region of Zambia, is a subspecies of the Masai giraffe (Giraffa tippelskirchi thornicrofti).
The Masai giraffe was described and given the binomial name Giraffa tippelskirchi by German zoologist Paul Matschie in 1898,... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of East African Giraffe in Ngorongoro Conservation Area
LIVEiNaturalistGlobal Distribution
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mikumi National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 2 | South Luangwa National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 3 | Tsavo West National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 4 | Arusha National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 5 | Tsavo East National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 6 | Akagera National Park | 🇷🇼 Rwanda | |
| 7 | Tarangire National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 8 | Mkomazi National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 9 | Ruaha National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 10 | Masai Mara National Reserve | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 11 | Serengeti National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 12 | Selous Game Reserve | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 13 | Ngorongoro Conservation Area | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 14 | Nairobi National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 15 | Amboseli National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 16 | Lake Manyara National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania |
Zoos & Centres Where Found
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Disney's Animal Kingdom | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Busch Gardens Tampa | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | SeaWorld San Diego | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | San Diego Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Cleveland Metroparks Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | The Wilds | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Garden Route Safari Camp | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 9 | Zoo Miami | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | San Diego Zoo Safari Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 11 | Lion Country Safari | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 12 | Toronto Zoo | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 13 | Safari West | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 14 | Haller Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 15 | Columbus Zoo and Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 16 | Nashville Zoo at Grassmere | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 17 | 江苏淹城野生动物世界 | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 18 | Los Angeles Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 19 | Oakland Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 20 | Phoenix Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 21 | Toledo Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 22 | Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 23 | Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 24 | Leofoo Village Theme Park | 🇹🇼 Taiwan | |
| 25 | Africam Safari | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 26 | Louisville Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 27 | Southwick's Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 28 | Calgary Zoo | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 29 | Brevard Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 30 | Franklin Park Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 31 | ZooTampa | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 32 | Gatorland | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 33 | Oregon Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 34 | Virginia Zoological Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 35 | Houston Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 36 | Cameron Park Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 37 | Fresno Chaffee Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 38 | Cebu Safari and Adventure Park | 🇵🇭 Philippines | |
| 39 | Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 40 | Terra Natura Murcia | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 41 | Roger Williams Park Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 42 | Giraffe Centre | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 43 | Turtle Back Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 44 | Miyazaki City Phoenix Zoo | 🇯🇵 Japan | |
| 45 | Nairobi Safari Walk | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 46 | Lehigh Valley Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 47 | Manatí Park - Cerrado | 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | |
| 48 | Potawatomi Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 49 | Racine Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 50 | Santa Barbara Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States |
Closest Relatives at Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing an East African Giraffe in Ngorongoro Conservation Area?
Likely
About 50% of wildlife watchers report an East African Giraffe sighting in Ngorongoro Conservation Area on a given day, based on 216 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 13th most-seen of the 37 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 90%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
When is the best time to see an East African Giraffe in Ngorongoro Conservation Area?
November to February
In those months about 60% of wildlife watchers report an East African Giraffe in Ngorongoro Conservation Area on a given day, against about 30% in July, the lowest month. Those are among Ngorongoro Conservation Area's wettest months, with about 130 mm of rain a month against almost none in July.
What time of day is best to see an East African Giraffe?
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most East African 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 Ngorongoro Conservation Area the best place to see an East African Giraffe?
13th of 16
Of the 16 parks where we can rate East African Giraffe sightings, Ngorongoro Conservation Area ranks 13th at about 50%. The best odds are in Mikumi National Park (Tanzania, about 80%), South Luangwa National Park (Zambia, about 80%) and Tsavo West National Park (Kenya, about 80%). All parks ranked.
Which relatives of the East African Giraffe live in Ngorongoro Conservation Area?
Same order: Artiodactyla
The closest relatives of the East African Giraffe that you can see in Ngorongoro Conservation Area (order Artiodactyla, Even-toed Ungulates and Cetaceans) are Blue Wildebeest (about 70%), African Buffalo (about 70%) and Thomson's Gazelle (about 60%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
Where does the East African Giraffe sighting chance come from?
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the East African Giraffe is recorded against all the mammals logged in Ngorongoro Conservation Area (216 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.
