Current:Home > FinanceSpotless giraffe seen in Namibia, weeks after one born at Tennessee zoo-LoTradeCoin
Spotless giraffe seen in Namibia, weeks after one born at Tennessee zoo
View Date:2025-01-11 15:23:33
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! (453)
Related
- Surprise bids revive hope for offshore wind in Gulf of Mexico after feds cancel lease sale
- Israel’s Netanyahu rebuffs US plea to halt Rafah offensive. Tensions rise ahead of Washington talks
- Jack Gohlke joins ESPN's Pat McAfee after Oakland's historic March Madness win vs. Kentucky
- It's Final Four or bust for Purdue. Can the Boilermakers finally overcome their March Madness woes?
- Republican Dan Newhouse wins reelection to US House in Washington
- Charity that allegedly gave just 1 cent of every $1 to cancer victims is sued for deceiving donors
- Kate Middleton Diagnosed With Cancer: Revisiting Her Health Journey
- Lawmakers who passed a bill to lure nuclear energy to Kentucky say coal is still king
- Research reveals China has built prototype nuclear reactor to power aircraft carrier
- Caitlin Clark has fan in country superstar Tim McGraw, who wore 22 jersey for Iowa concert
Ranking
- Jana Duggar Reveals She's Adjusting to City Life Amid Move Away From Farm
- Almost 60, Lenny Kravitz talks workouts, new music and why he's 'never felt more vibrant'
- Shop Amazon's Big Sale for Clothing Basics That Everyone Needs in Their Wardrobe STAT
- Kevin Bacon to attend prom at high school where 'Footloose' was filmed for 40th anniversary
- ‘I got my life back.’ Veterans with PTSD making progress thanks to service dog program
- West Virginia governor signs law removing marital assault exemption
- Selena Gomez & David Henrie Have Magical Reunion in First Look at Wizards of Waverly Place Sequel
- Kate Middleton Receives Well-Wishes From Olivia Munn and More After Sharing Cancer Diagnosis
Recommendation
-
Trump's election has women swearing off sex with men. It's called the 4B movement.
-
Charity that allegedly gave just 1 cent of every $1 to cancer victims is sued for deceiving donors
-
Behold, Kermitops: Fossil named after Kermit the Frog holds clues to amphibian evolution
-
Riley Strain Dead at 22: Police Detail What Led to Discovery of Missing Student
-
Conviction and 7-year sentence for Alex Murdaugh’s banker overturned in appeal of juror’s dismissal
-
What is '3 Body Problem'? Explaining Netflix's trippy new sci-fi and the three-body problem
-
Vermont House passes a bill to restrict a pesticide that is toxic to bees
-
Lawmakers who passed a bill to lure nuclear energy to Kentucky say coal is still king