Majestic giraffes pictured in new book to raise funds for wildlife protection

Stunning images of giraffes have been selected to appear in a book aimed at raising funds to safeguard endangered animals.

Twenty pictures have been chosen for the publication Remembering Giraffes, the latest in a series of photographic books documenting threatened animals like rhinos, elephants and African wild dogs.

Money raised from the books has been used to fund wildlife protection projects, with more than £1.2 million donated to 82 initiatives across 35 countries since the series began in 2016.

Mark Fernley’s image shows three male Masai giraffes intertwining their necks at a waterhole (Mark Fernley/Remembering Giraffes/PA)

Mark Fernley, from the UK, was among the winners and his image, The Language Of Touch, shows three bull Masai giraffes intertwining their necks at a waterhole in Shompole Conservancy, Kenya.

He said about the picture: “With no force, no dominance posturing, the trio gently entwined their long necks, rubbing together in a slow, deliberate exchange that lasted nearly 20 seconds.

“Masai giraffes are often associated with dramatic sparring displays, yet moments like this reveal a more nuanced social world – one built not only on competition, but also on tactile communication and affiliative bonds. At Shompole, even the tallest giants remind us that the wild is full of unexpected tenderness.”

Remembering Giraffes will be published on October 12 and the 20 winning images will sit alongside pictures of all four species of giraffe donated by some of the world’s leading wildlife photographers, including Wim van den Heever and Daryl Balfour, two of this year’s competition judges.

Margot Raggett, founder and producer of the wildlife book series, said: “Photographers from around the world answered our call once again and entered striking images of giraffes in their natural habitat for our competition.

Kyle Goetsch, another competition winner, photographed a giraffe with the moon as a backdrop (Kyle Goetsch/Remembering Giraffes/PA)

“These 20 competition winners rightly deserve their place among our regular contributors, whose stunning work has made the series possible.

“Giraffes are disappearing because of habitat loss, poaching and civil unrest and, because they are quiet, gentle creatures, their decline has gone largely unnoticed.

“The good news is that, where giraffes are protected, populations can recover. Remembering Giraffes aims to shine a light on the threats affecting giraffes and help ensure that future generations don’t just remember giraffes but see them standing tall in the wild.”

A Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign to raise money to produce the new book topped £107,000 just 48 hours after being launched in March and will run until 8pm on Sunday, with rewards offered to supporters depending on the amount pledge.