The heartbreaking photo shows six dead giraffes in Kenya after getting stuck in the mud. Experts warn that the drought in Africa could cause the deaths of as many as 4,000 animals.

Photographs of the animal corpses lying on dry orange soil were taken by the Sabuli Wildlife Conservancy (Wajir) on Friday. The animals got into the mud while trying to drink water from a nearby lake, which was nearly dry.

They are all seen sprawled on their backs, with the bodies of vulnerable species lying across the ground. A long neck extends backwards from the body of an animal, with its head on another giraffe.

This heartbreaking photograph shows a family of six giraffes lying dead after they got stuck in the mud in Kenya, as experts warn the drought being experienced by the African country could kill 4,000 of the animals

A family of six giraffes is found dead in this heartbreaking photograph after becoming stuck in Kenyan mud. This was taken as experts fear that drought could lead to the death of 4,000 more animals in Africa.

The giraffes, weak from lack of food and water, died after they got stuck in mud as they tired to drink from a nearly dried up reservoir nearby. The corpses of the animals - classified as a vulnerable species - are seen lying on their sides sprawled out across the earth. One of the animal's long necks stretches backwards, its head resting on another giraffe

After they tried to get water from the reservoir, they became stuck in mud and died. These bodies, which are classified as vulnerable species, can be seen spread out on the ground lying flattened. A long neck extends backwards from the body of this animal, with its head on another Giraffe.

A giraffe lies dead in the road on December 9, 2021 in Wajir County, Kenya. A prolonged drought in the country's north east has created food and water shortages, pushing pastoralist communities and their livestock to the brink

On December 9, 2021, a giraffe was found dead on the roads in Wajir County in Kenya. Due to prolonged droughts in Kenya’s north east, pastoralists and their livestock are facing severe food and water shortages.

The photo, taken from above the scene, clearly shows that the giraffes have died. Their bodies are showing signs of decay. To prevent any contamination of the reservoir, they were relocated to Sabuli in Kenya’s northern east.

The giraffes were already weak from starvation and from a lack of drinking water caused by the severe drought in the region, which received less than a third of its usual rainfall in September.

Food and water shortages as a result of the lack of rain have affected animals and people alike, with Kenyan newspaper The Star reporting that 4,000 giraffes in the nearby Garissa county risk death as a result.

According to experts the severe drought has affected wild animals the most. Ibrahim Ali, a worker at the Bour-Algi giraffe sanctuary, said the drought has made the situation worse for many animals.

According to The Star: “Domesticated animals were being helped but not wildlife. Now they are suffering,” he said. He stated that farmers along rivers prevented animals like giraffes access to water.

He stressed the urgent need for more open spaces to allow wildlife access to water.

In August’s first ever national wildlife census, Kenya had a total of 34.240 giraffes. There are three kinds of the animal. These include the Maasai giraffe, reticulated giraffe and the Nubian giraffe. Giarffes can be considered a vulnerable species. 

Uhuru Kenyatta, Kenya’s president declared September the nation’s worst drought. The drought is currently affecting more than half of Kenya and is expected to lead to starvation for over two million people.

It is clear from the photo taken from above that the giraffes died some time ago, their bodies showing signs of decomposition. They were moved to the location in Sabuli, in Kenya's north east, to prevent contamination to the reservoir water

From the above photo, it is obvious that the giraffes had died long ago. Their bodies are showing signs of disintegration. The giraffes were transported to Sabuli (in Kenya’s north-east) to avoid contamination of the reservoir. 

In this aerial view, a giraffe lies dead in the road near Matanaha village on December 9, 2021 in Wajir County, Kenya

This aerial view shows a dead giraffe in the roadway near Matanaha village, December 9, 2021, in Wajir County in Kenya

Assistant chief of Eyrib village, Abdi Karim, looks at the bodies of six giraffes that lie on the outskirts of Eyrib village in Sabuli Wildlife Conservancy on December 10, 2021 in Wajir County, Kenya

Abdi Karim is the assistant chief of Eyrib Village and examines the six bodies of giraffes found in the vicinity of Eyrib, Sabuli Wildlife Conservancy, Wajir County on December 10, 2021.

Many parts of Kenya are in ‘urgent need’ of food aid, Kenya’s National Drought Management Authority has said.

Kenya, along with other East African countries, have faced some of the most severe locust infestations in decades. These insects destroyed crops and grasslands. Climate change has created unique weather conditions that allow insects to flourish, according to scientists.

Experts predict that climate shocks like this will be more frequent in Africa. This continent contributes least to global warming but is most affected by it.

‘We do not have a spare planet in which we will seek refuge once we have succeeded in destroying this one,’ the executive director of East Africa´s Intergovernmental Authority on Development, Workneh Gebeyehu, said last month while opening a regional early warning climate centre in Kenya´s capital, Nairobi.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta agreed.

‘Africa, while currently responsible for a negligible amount of total global greenhouse gas emissions, is under significant threat from climate change,’ he said at the center´s opening. Just 4% are caused by the continent.

Kenyatta was among those African leaders that spoke at the climate summit.

Rangers from the Sabuli Wildlife Conservancy supply water from a tanker for wild animals in the conservancy in Wajir County, Kenya Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021

Sabuli Wildlife Conservancy rangers provide water from a tanker to wild animals at the conservancy, Wajir County Kenya, Tuesday Oct. 26, 2021

Herders supply water from a borehole to give to their camels near Kuruti, in Garissa County, Kenya Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021. As world leaders addressed a global climate summit in Britain, drought descended yet again in northern Kenya, the latest in a series of climate shocks rippling through the Horn of Africa

Near Kuruti in Garissa County Kenya, herders provide water to their camels from a borehole. This is Wednesday, October 27, 2021. A drought in northern Kenya struck again as world leaders address a British climate summit. This is the latest of a string of climate shocks that have been sweeping the Horn of Africa.