We know Giraffes as long-necked animals with big spots scattered around their body, however, a rare spotless giraffe has been born in Brights Zoo – zoologists say it is the only solid-colored living reticulated giraffe on the planet. The reticulated giraffe is one of the four distinct species of giraffe, according to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF), a group that works to save giraffes in the wild. In 2018, the International Union for Conservation of Nature added it to a list of threatened species.
The 6-foot-tall giraffe was born on July 31 at Brights Zoo in Limestone, East Tennessee. It has a solid brown color devoid of the characteristic camouflage patches of Giraffes.
The Zoo hopes the spotless giraffe will draw nations’ attention to the conservation of wild giraffes, whose numbers have been dwindling in recent years. According to Tony Bright, the founder of Brights Zoo, “Wild populations are silently slipping into extinction, with 40 percent of the wild giraffe population lost in just the last 3 decades,” he added that the zoo was working to help the giraffe population through a breeding program.
The zoo shortlisted four names for the newborn and will open them to a vote on Tuesday. The four choices are Kipekee which means unique, Firyali which means extraordinary, Shakiri meaning “she is most beautiful,” and Jamella which means one of great beauty.
The family-owned facility is home to some rare and endangered animal species and exotic animals, including addax (white antelope), Bactrian two-humped camels, Red kangaroos, spider monkeys, and pandas.
