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Verify: Are giraffes more endangered than elephants?

These two large animals are well-known across the world, but which one is currently the more endangered species?
<p>Elephants watering at Etosha National Park, Namibia, Africa.</p>

These two large animals are well-known across the world, but which one is currently the more endangered species?

Well, a recent study has unveiled a 36 to 40 percent drop throughout the years for the world's most tallest mammal.

In 1985 there was between 151,702 and 163,452 giraffes which has now depleted to the total of 97,562 in 2015, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

That's a 30-year period of steady decline.

Five of the nine subspecies of giraffe have decreasing populations, with only three currently increasing and one stable. Negative factors like illegal hunting and human-wildlife conflict, habitat loss and others have all contributed to the subspecies populations, making giraffes as a whole closer to extinction.

For the largest mammal on earth, elephants, how do they measure up? According to World Wild Fund, an organization in wildlife conservation and endangered species, the population totals are around 415,000 African elephants in the wild and between 40,000 and 50,000 Asian elephants.

Elephants have been one of the main animals mentioned in terms of the endangered conversation, but at this moment in time it looks like giraffes have unfortunately crept in front of them.

Though both of these iconic animals are under concern, the giraffe can be looked upon as the more endangered species who has subtly endured a silent extinction of sorts.

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