Across our project area, Somali giraffes persist almost entirely on communally owned, unprotected lands, where daily interactions with communities play a key role in their behavior and survival. Understanding anthropogenic influences on giraffe behavior, including flight behavior, vigilance, habitat avoidance, and perceived risk from humans is key to effective conservation of giraffes in these unprotected landscapes.

SGP integrates behavioral ecology with social science by examining how giraffes respond to different human activities, alongside community perceptions, cultural values, and land-use practices.

By linking giraffe behavioral responses to local attitudes and pressures, we identify conditions under which tolerance is highest and stress is lowest, enabling the design of targeted coexistence strategies that reduce disturbance, improve acceptance, and support the long-term persistence of Somali giraffes beyond formal protected areas.