West African
Also known as the Nigerian, the West African giraffe is believed to be the rarest type all the subspecies. As of 2008 it was listed as endangered on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Although it is known as the Nigerian giraffe, it no longer lives in the country. There are believed to be fewer than 220 West African giraffes just west of Niamey, the capital of Niger. The animal is tan-colored with rectangular spots surrounded by thick cream lines.
Nubian
The Nubian giraffe can be recognized by the two ossicones, or knobs, on its head. It has cream colored skin and chestnut brown patches all over. It doesn't have any patches on the inside of its legs and below the knees. There are fewer than 250 Nubian giraffes in the wild. They live in western Ethiopia and eastern Sudan.
Maasai
The darkest subspecies of giraffe is the maasai. It is brown-cream in color, with irregular brown patches with jagged edges. Also known as the Kilimanjaro, the maasai is also the largest of the giraffe subspecies. It inhabits the savannas of Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania.
Reticulated
The reticulated giraffe is one of three subspecies native to Kenya. It also called the Somali giraffe. It is recognizable by its bright orange-brown patches. Males are darker in color than females. Each patch is outlined with bright white lines. The reticulated giraffe is the subspecies most commonly kept in captivity.
Rothschild's
Another subspecies native to Kenya is the Rothschild's giraffe. It's also found in areas of Uganda. It has a cream body with light brown patches all over its body. It's easily distinguishable because the pattern doesn't go below the animal's knees. There are fewer than 650 of these giraffes left in the wild, mainly due to poaching and habitat loss.
Thornicroft's
The only remaining wild Thornicroft giraffes live in South Luangwa Valley, eastern Zambia. There are believed to be fewer than 1,500 in this area and none in captivity. The giraffe has a cream background and dark, leaf-shaped spots on its body and down its legs.
Kordofan
Another type of giraffe is the Kordofan. You can identify it by its pale and irregular patches on its body and inner legs. It is native to southern Chad, Central African Republic, northern Democratic Republic of Congo and northern Cameroon.
Angolan
Despite its name, the Angolan giraffe no longer inhabits Angola. It only remains in the wild in parts of Namibia, Zambia, Botswana and Zimbabwe. It has a light-colored background and uneven patches covering its body and entire legs.
South African
The South African giraffe has dark, star-shaped spots on its tan-colored body. The pattern extends all the way down its legs. It inhabits northern South Africa, southern Zimbabwe and southern Botswana. The giraffe has been re-introduced to Mozambique, where it once lived in the wild. Fewer than 12,000 South African giraffes remain in the wild.