Until the 1960s, before persistent drought and population growth, the West African giraffe ranged widely throughout West Africa. The last self-sustaining herd can be found an hour east of Niamey at the Kouré Giraffe Reserve, which I visited in November 2017. From a low of around 50 giraffes in the mid-1980s, the herd is estimated to number more than 400. I found 15, which were easy to approach on foot.