The Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) has launched its Coffee for Giraffes initiative, ahead of World Giraffe Day on 21 June.

Cafés are invited to stencil giraffe patterns on their cappuccinos throughout June, to create awareness about the plight of the giraffe, whose numbers have plummeted in recent years.

“The plight facing giraffe throughout Africa is an issue that is not well publicised, however giraffes remain a keystone species which are fascinating to many, but loved by all. This project is about raising awareness of the species, and the work of the GCF in an interesting and eye-catching way,” GCF’s Lachlan McFeeters says.

“I came up with this idea two years ago, and thought it might be an interesting way to get people chatting about giraffes over their morning coffee. It’s a self-designed and self-funded project with 100 per cent of the donations going straight to the GCF.”

Coffee for Giraffes is free for cafés to take part in. Lachlan will send coffee stencils, a donation box and small counter signs to cafés and baristas interested in taking part .

Provided signage includes table cards, cut-out masks and colouring stencils for kids to use or take home, information posters, and a giraffe guide for those interested in finding out more.

Giraffe numbers have dropped by over 30 per cent in the last three decades and are now  estimated at less than 111,000 individuals in all of Africa. GCF is working throughout Africa to curb this trend and to secure a sustainable future for all giraffe in the wild.

For more information, follow #stickyourneckout on social media, or contact lachlan.mcfeeters@gmail.com