Christophe Courteau / West African giraffe {Giraffa camelopardis peralta} poached by local people. Sahel, Niger.

Christophe Courteau / West African giraffes {Giraffa camelopardis peralta} in millet plantation Sahel, Niger.

Christophe Courteau / West African giraffe {Giraffe camelopardis peralta} in local village. Sahel, Niger.

Christophe Courteau / West African giraffe {Giraffe camelopardis peralta} skin detail.

Christophe Courteau / Pair of West African giraffes {Giraffe camelopardis peralta}. Male on right, female on left.

Christophe Courteau / Conservation & natural history lesson in classroom. Kanare Village, Sahel, Niger, Africa.

Christophe Courteau / West African giraffe male feeding {Giraffa camelopardis peralta}. Sahel, Niger.

Christophe Courteau / West African giraffes {Giraffa camelopardalis peralta}. Dallol Bosso Nord, Sahel, Niger.

Christophe Courteau / West African giraffe face {Giraffa camelopardis peralta}. Sahel, Niger.

Roland Seitre / Antoine Cadi, scientist, and assistant measure the shell of an African spurred tortoise (Centrochelys / Geochelone sulcata) Sahel desert, Ferlo North Reserve, Senegal, West Africa, Vulnerable species....

Roland Seitre / African spurred tortoise (Centrochelys / Geochelone sulcata) Sahel desert, Ferlo North Reserve, Senegal, West Africa, Vulnerable species

GRANT MCDOWELL / Dust storm preceeding thunderstorm in the Sahel, Mali NB Person watching