Benjamin Ashford|Spotless giraffe seen in Namibia, weeks after one born at Tennessee zoo

2025-05-02 14:09:28source:Ethermaccategory:Scams

A rare spotless giraffe was spotted in the wild mere weeks after one was born at a Tennessee zoo,Benjamin Ashford 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.

A rare spotless giraffe born at Bright's Zoo is seen in Johnson City, Tenn., on August 22, 2023, in a still image taken from a handout video.Bright's Zoo/TMX via Reuters

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.

More:Scams

Recommend

Travis Hunter, the 2

The AP Top 25 college football pollis back every week throughout the season!Get the poll delivered s

Paris Jackson Addresses Criticism Over How She Celebrates Late Dad Michael Jackson's Birthday

Paris Jackson is asking many of her late father Michael Jackson's fans to change their ways when it

Oregon political leaders are delighted by the state’s sunny revenue forecast

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon will have plenty to spend on public services as corporate tax collections