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Why is this rare giraffe almost extinct?

With only 38 Kordofan giraffes remaining, conservationists are asking President Obama to donate funding and supplies. 

Only 38 Kordofan giraffes remain alive today.聽

Originally ranging through Cameroon, the Central African Republic, and Sudan, the remaining Kordofans are now sequestered in the Democratic Republic of Congo鈥檚 Garamba National Park. Approximately 350 Kordofans roamed the DRC only 20 years ago, but the numbers plunged to 86 by 2003 and then decreased to only 38 in 2016.聽

Local poachers are said to be responsible for depleting the once prolific populations.聽

A single giraffe can produce up to 660 pounds of meat, and , one giraffe can produce quite a paycheck. Especially in a country where the gross domestic product per capita measured $231.51 in 2012 鈥� . And the skin of the Kordofan giraffe has distinctive spots, typically fetching a higher price tag on the luxury goods market.聽聽

鈥淎t the moment the ratio is one male to 2.4 females, ,鈥� Aime Balimbaki, the head of research and monitoring at Garamba National Park, tells the Sunday Express. 鈥淏ut if we have bad luck or if there is a serious menace 鈥� even if we lose just five giraffes 鈥� then the population may no longer be viable.鈥澛�

As of Sunday, a petition to President Barack Obama titled 鈥淪ave the Last 38 Giraffes in Congo鈥� had received over 28,400 signatures.聽

鈥淸The Congo鈥檚] government likely cannot take on the additional expense of saving the last of its giraffes,鈥� . 鈥淭hey need other nations to step up and provide conservationists with the money for better security against poachers, tracking collars, and other equipment they might need to track these wandering animals. The United States often helps other nations in times of need.鈥�

Wildlife advocates hope the petition will raise awareness about the giraffes鈥� shrinking population.聽

鈥淚t is heartbreaking that this has not gained ,鈥� says the UK-based charity Spots and Stripes. 鈥淭o have a population of only 38 giraffes remaining in the Congo is a disaster for both the species and for conservation.鈥澛�

And just because the remaining giraffes are under Garamba鈥檚 protection doesn鈥檛 mean they are safe, explain conservationists.聽

鈥淸The petition鈥檚] call-to-action contends that from caring for the many refugees 鈥榩ouring in from South Sudan,鈥� and does not have the means to safeguard the remaining 38 giraffes from extinction,鈥� explains EnviroNews. Garamba was already a resource-deprived park, but the petition鈥檚 authors say hungry Sudanese refugees wouldn鈥檛 think twice about killing a giraffe for its flavorful meat.

And human-induced landscape changes have forced giraffes to roam far and wide to find an adequate food supply, especially in a national park that measures almost 2,000 square-miles. The petition asks President Obama to fund tracking collars for the remaining 38 giraffes, in addition to salary pay so more park staff can be hired to protect the giraffes against both locals and Sudanese refugees.聽

鈥淭his is one of the most trouble-ridden parts of Africa,鈥� Chris Thouless of Save the Elephants told CTV News, referencing Africa鈥檚 second-oldest national park. 鈥淪imply, Garamba鈥檚 survival is .鈥澛�

Despite the park鈥檚 warring neighbors, hungry poachers, and funding needs, the non-profit organization African Parks that took over Garamba鈥檚 management in 2005, continues to fight for a brighter future for Garamba and its residents.聽

Erik Marav, 30-year manager of Garamba, says of the park: 鈥淚t鈥檚 such in such an unlikely place.鈥�