In one of the rarest births that took place last month on July 31, Brights Zoo in the USA welcomed a spotless giraffe to their family. The baby giraffe is presently six feet tall and is 'thriving' under the care of her mother.
According to WJHL.com, Brights Zoo said in a statement, "Giraffe experts believe she is the only solid-colored reticulated giraffe living anywhere on the planet. From day one we’ve been in contact with zoo professionals all over the country. And especially the old timers, that have been around for a long time, ‘Hey, have you seen this? What are your thoughts?’ And nobody’s seen it."
According to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF), an organisation that aims to protect giraffes in the wild, the reticulated giraffe is one of the four unique species of giraffe. The International Union for Conservation of Nature listed it as a threatened species in 2018. (Also Read: Mama giraffe charges at hyena to protect her baby. Watch)
The zoo hopes that the birth of the spotless giraffe will help to highlight the challenges the species face in the wild. "The international coverage of our patternless baby giraffe has created a much-needed spotlight on giraffe conservation. Wild populations are silently slipping into extinction, with 40% of the wild giraffe population lost in just the last three decades," said Tony Bright, founder of Brights Zoo, in a statement.
{{/usCountry}}The zoo hopes that the birth of the spotless giraffe will help to highlight the challenges the species face in the wild. "The international coverage of our patternless baby giraffe has created a much-needed spotlight on giraffe conservation. Wild populations are silently slipping into extinction, with 40% of the wild giraffe population lost in just the last three decades," said Tony Bright, founder of Brights Zoo, in a statement.
{{/usCountry}}Currently, the Brights Zoo is looking for a name for the giraffe and has asked the public on their Facebook page to share a few potential names. The four names they have shortlisted till now are Kipekee, Firyali, Shakiri, and Jamella, reports USA Today.