Giraffe na one kind fine animal wey dey Africa, dem long neck and di spot wey dey dia body dey make dem stand out. But now, scientists don find say na four different giraffe species dey for di continent, according to new research wey dem release on Thursday.

Before now, researchers bin dey see all giraffe for Africa as one species. But new data and genetic study don make di International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) task force divide giraffe into four groups: Northern, Reticulated, Masai, and Southern giraffes.

Over di past ten years, key studies don show say di four species get big difference, na wetin Michael Brown, wey be researcher for Windhoek, Namibia, and dey work with IUCN, explain. E talk say di way wey we classify giraffe dey important because "each species get dia own population size, wahala, and wetin dem need for conservation." If we just put all giraffe together, e go make di matter no clear.

For example, Northern giraffes wey dey Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and Central African Republic dey face plenty wahala from hunting and political katakata. Masai giraffes wey dey Kenya and Tanzania dey lose dia habitat because people dey turn open savanna to cattle grazing land and farmland.

Stuart Pimm, wey be ecologist for Duke University, talk say di decision to divide giraffe into four species na correct one and e don tey wey dem suppose do am.

Before, scientists dey focus on di spot pattern for giraffe body, but di new classification use modern techniques like genetic data and anatomical study wey show say di species get difference, like di shape of dia skull.

Di horn-like thing wey dey giraffe forehead na permanent bone wey dey grow from dia skull, e no be like deer antlers wey dey fall off every year.

Over di past 20 years, scientists don collect genetic sample from more than 2,000 giraffes across Africa to study di difference, na wetin Stephanie Fennessy from Giraffe Conservation Foundation talk. She add say before, e dey cost plenty money to sequence genome, but now technology don make am cheaper, about $100, so nonprofit and conservation groups fit do am.

According to di foundation, di Northern giraffe na di most endangered species, dem get only about 7,000 for di wild. Stephanie Fennessy talk say, "E be one of di most threatened big animals for di world."

Southern giraffes na di most plenty species, dem get about 69,000. Reticulated giraffes get about 21,000, and Masai giraffes get about 44,000 for di wild, according to di foundation.

Fennessy conclude say, "If all giraffes no be di same, then we go need protect dem one by one."