%%[var @FirstName set @FirstName = [FirstName]]%%%%[if not empty(@FirstName) then]%%Dear %%=ProperCase(@FirstName)=%%,

%%[else]%%%%[endif]%%World Giraffe Day is just around the corner! These long-necked wonders are iconic and beloved for their big eyes, spindly legs, and remarkably graceful gallop. But like many African species, giraffes are in trouble: Their numbers have declined by almost 30% over the last three decades.

We can protect giraffes and their habitats, but we must act now. Make your gift today and see your donation go twice as far. That’s right: all individual gifts will be doubled until we meet our $10,000 goal. Hurry: This match ends at midnight tonight. There’s no time to lose.

WCS is proud to have the world’s longest-standing wildlife field conservation program in Africa. We focus our efforts on areas with the greatest potential to protect biodiversity—such as Ruaha-Katavi in Tanzania. This landscape, three times the size of Switzerland, is one of the largest ecologically intact savannah ecosystems in Africa, which makes it imperative for conservation.

Ruaha-Katavi is home to elephants, lions, African wild dogs—and, of course, giraffes. Through powerful partnerships with the Tanzanian Government and national wildlife organizations and a focus on community engagement, we protect and monitor the species across this huge ecosystem. By prioritizing regions with the greatest biodiversity, we provide a lifesaving buffer from threats like human encroachment, habitat destruction, and poaching—and we invest in the future of our planet as a whole.

But we can’t do it without you. Stand up tall for giraffes today with your 2X gift. Don’t wait: match ends soon!

Sincerely,

The Wildlife Conservation Society