Northern giraffe are considered Vulnerable to extinction by the IUCN. In 2016, around 97,000 individuals from all subspecies were present in the wild. There are currently 5,195 northern giraffes. In the current IUCN taxonomic scheme there is only one species of giraffe with the name "G. camelopardalis" and nine subspecies. Three subspecies of northern giraffes are proposed. The giraffes have two horn-like protuberances known as ossicones on their foreheads. The northern giraffe's are longer and larger than that of the southern giraffes', though male northern giraffes have a third cylindrical ossicone in the center of the head just above the eyes which
Sophie the Giraffe Sophie the Giraffe Sophie the Giraffe is a teether – a toy for teething infants to chew on – in the form of a hevea rubber giraffe. The toy has been made in France (as "Sophie la Girafe") since 1961, first in Asnières-sur-Oise, near Paris, by Delacoste, then from 1991 by Vulli, based in Rumilly in the French Alps. Its name refers to its launch on 25 May 1961, the feast day of Saint Madeline Sophie Barat. It has achieved national icon status in France, according to "Slate", with more sold each year (816,000 in 2010) than babies are born