Turns out, the tall, spotted, long-necked horses with stunning eyebrows that we’ve been calling giraffes all this time are actually four genetically distinct species. So distinct, in fact, that it’s a bit like comparing a brown bear to a polar bear—there might even be a point in the near future where some d**k chastises you for misnaming a giraffe species.After more than a decade of intense study of giraffe DNA and physiology across 21 African countries, researchers from the Giraffe Conservation Foundation and Germany’s Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre confirm that giraffes are not a single animal. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has now officially split giraffes into four distinct species: Masai, northern, reticulated, and southern.If you’re struggling to figure out why this matters, it’s because each species’ struggle for survival is slightly different. That necessitates different strategies for each species. We Just Found Out Giraffes Are Actually Four SpeciesFor instance, there are fewer than 6,000 northern giraffes left in the wild. The reticulated giraffe, the one with the iconic brown and off-white, net-like pattern we associate with all types of giraffes, has decreased in numbers from 36,000 to 16,000. There are only around 45,400 Masai giraffes and 50,000 southern giraffes left. The reasons why the numbers of each species are dwindling are different.Each species can now be individually assessed for global protections, such as the U.S. Endangered Species Act, which is already reviewing giraffes for listing. This is important because we now realize we’re trying to treat a more nuanced, complex issue with one blanket solution that may fail because it’s not best suited for each species. Now, conservationists can better tailor rescue efforts.With species-specific strategies, such as anti-poaching patrols for some and habitat protection for others, we might have a better chance of saving them all. The post Turns Out Giraffes Aren’t One Species—They’re Actually Four appeared first on VICE.