18 SPOT RARE GIRAFFES IN ZAMBIA

Africa’s giraffes are fascinating to observe, and they’re scarcer than you might think. While South African giraffes are thriving, habitat loss has caused a sharp decline in subspecies in countries to the north.

If you’re keen to see such a rarity, you can do no better than the Thornicroft’s giraffe. Recent genetic research suggests the species is closely related to East Africa’s Masai giraffe — closely enough, perhaps, to interbreed. Zambia’s

South Luangwa Valley National Park is home to their sole population, numbering around 600. Here, informative guides lead tours run by ethical-minded bush camps where you will spy Thornicroft’s giraffe, distinguished by its jagged spots. Look closely, and you’ll see the animals travel with an entourage: red-billed oxpeckers, plucky little birds that keep them tick free and sometimes reach right inside their ears, as if whispering a secret. bushcampcompany.com EG