Giraffe subspecies inbreeding themselves to extinction

Giraffes threatened with 'silent extinction'. [Reuters]

Masai giraffes, which are listed as 'vulnerable' and are extinct in seven African countries, may be more endangered than previously thought and are, in fact, facing a new threat to their future, a recent study reveals.

The study, published in the Ecology and Evolution journal, reveals that the Great Rift has split the subspecies in two. This has led to interbreeding, resulting in a lack of genetic flow.