A pair of rare white giraffes have been spotted in Kenya, to the delight of local residents and conservationists.
The reticulated giraffes, a mother and child, suffer from a genetic condition called leucism, which inhibits pigmentation in skin cells. Unlike albinism, animals with leucism continue to produce dark pigment in their soft tissue, which explains the white giraffes’ dark eyes and other colouring.
They are in an area that is managed by the Hirola Conservation Programme (HCP).
According to the HCP, this most recent footage is only the third known sighting of a white giraffe.
A white giraffe in the same Ishaqbini conservancy was reported in March 2016, while in Tanzania, a Masai giraffe calf called Omo was observed in Tarangire national park in January 2016.
Reticulated giraffes are listed as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with an estimated 8,500 individuals in the wild. They live in Somalia, southern Ethiopia and northern Kenya.
23 Responses
That’s cool…
I wish I saw them 🙂
That is really cool. White giraffes? What’s next? Pink possums followed by orange frogs doing a tap dance??
Really cool.
So cool! I want to ride one.
That is awesome sooo awesome cooooool. and think your right pink possum’s orange frogs or maybe green tigers doing the watz
That’s the cutest thing ever. I want to see the new one but I don’t think that I have a that much money.thanks for the photo ??????
i love your news and want to learn more
It is so cool and good
that is wierd
really, really amazing that they are white
This is so Awesome there are different types of giraffes and a rare white giraffe is amazing wonder when it will become popular.
Hope it won’t get endangered so it will be safe.
Thanks Shanti
It is really cool that there is a white giraffe.
good story
cool
Amazing
good story
Thats pretty cool I never there was a white giraffe
Cool
they are soo cool
I want one as a pet
What beautiful animals they look so graceful and loving. I would like to meet one of these animals once in my life. I really enjoyed this article and hope to read another like it.
kind regards
Abby
wow so cool but how did you find it
wow i love giraffes and this was very cool
WOW they are s beautiful!
I wish i saw them they look cool?