Current:Home > ContactSpotless giraffe seen in Namibia, weeks after one born at Tennessee zoo -RiskWatch
Spotless giraffe seen in Namibia, weeks after one born at Tennessee zoo
View
Date:2025-04-17 13:54:10
A rare spotless giraffe was spotted in the wild mere weeks after one was born at a Tennessee zoo, a conservation organization announced in a press release Monday.
The Angolan giraffe was photographed on a private game reserve in central Namibia, according to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation.
In July, a spotless giraffe was born at Brights Zoo in Limestone, Tennessee, in what David Bright, the zoo's director, told "Good Morning America" was "definitely a shock."
MORE: American caver hoisted to safety after 12 days in Turkish cave
Following a naming contest, where the zoo asked the public to name the giraffe, the animal was named Kipekee, which means "unique" in Swahili. Bright said Kipekee is "doing well and growing."
"This is our first one without a pattern," said Bright, who has been the director at the private, family-run zoo for the last two decades.
A reticulated giraffe's spotted pattern typically develops in the womb, so giraffes are usually born with their spots clearly visible, according to Bright.
Giraffes are facing a "silent extinction," the Giraffe Conservation Foundation said in a press release, saying there are only 117,000 wild giraffes in Africa.
MORE: Rare giraffe born without spots gets 'unique' name
"That means that there is only one giraffe for every four African [elephants] remaining in the wild. [Giraffes] have already become extinct in at least seven African countries," the conservation organization said. "And, to make matters even worse for these iconic animals, we now know that there are four distinct species of giraffe in Africa."
Before the spotless giraffe in Namibia and at the zoo in Tennessee, the last recorded brown spotless giraffe was at a zoo in Japan in 1972, according to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation.
veryGood! (68898)
Related
- Sam Taylor
- 17 alleged Gambino mobsters charged in $22M illegal gambling, loansharking rings
- Jessica Alba Reveals How She and Cash Warren Reconnected After Previous Breakup
- A look back at D-Day: Why the World War II invasion remains important on its 80th anniversary
- Spooky or not? Some Choa Chu Kang residents say community garden resembles cemetery
- Ex-NASCAR driver Tighe Scott and 3 other Pennsylvania men face charges stemming from Capitol riot
- Ground black pepper sold nationwide recalled for possible salmonella risk, FDA says
- From 'Saving Private Ryan' to 'The Longest Day,' D-Day films to watch on 80th anniversary
- Woman dies after Singapore family of 3 gets into accident in Taiwan
- Scott Disick Details His Horrible Diet Before Weight Loss Journey
Ranking
- Tarte Shape Tape Concealer Sells Once Every 4 Seconds: Get 50% Off Before It's Gone
- Jamie-Lynn Sigler Shares She Almost Died From Sepsis After Undergoing Surgery
- Salmonella linked to recalled cucumbers could be two separate strains; FDA, CDC investigate
- Records expunged for St. Louis couple who waved guns at protesters. They want their guns back
- New data highlights 'achievement gap' for students in the US
- 'The Traitors' Season 3 cast: Which reality TV stars are partaking in murder mystery
- 'My heart stopped': Watch as giraffe picks up Texas toddler during trip to wildlife center
- World Cup skier and girlfriend dead after tragic mountain accident in Italy, sports officials say
Recommendation
Trump invites nearly all federal workers to quit now, get paid through September
Powerball winning numbers for June 5 drawing: Jackpot climbs to $206 million
Salmonella linked to recalled cucumbers could be two separate strains; FDA, CDC investigate
How Brittany Cartwright Really Feels About Jax Taylor Dating Again After Their Breakup
The 401(k) millionaires club keeps growing. We'll tell you how to join.
Biden lauds WWII veterans on D-Day 80th anniversary, vows NATO solidarity in face of new threat to democracy
GOP backers of 3 initiatives sue to keep their fiscal impact off the November ballot
Levi Wright’s Mom Shares Gut-Wrenching Final Moments With 3-Year-Old Before Toy Tractor Accident