Rare Spotless Giraffe Born In US Zoo, Believed To Be World's Only One

According to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, the population of reticulated giraffes has shrunk from 36,000 to almost half between 2008 and 2018.

One of the rarest births in the animal kingdom has taken place in a zoo in the USA. On July 31, Brights Zoo  located in Limestone in North East Tennessee welcomed a spotless giraffe to their family, which is believed to be the only one of her kind, reported the New York Post. The six feet tall female giraffe that is yet to be named has a uniform brown colour and lacks the distinctive patches patterns that giraffes are identified with.

After the birth of the Giraffe, the Brights Zoo in a statement said, "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."

The calf is a reticulated giraffe, an endangered species. According to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, the population of these giraffes has shrunk from 36,000 to almost half between 2008 and 2018.

However, the zoo hopes that the birth of the spotless giraffe will help create awareness about the dwindling population of the wild giraffe. 

"The international coverage of our patternless baby giraffe has created a much-needed spotlight on giraffe conservation," said Tony Bright, the zoo’s founder in a statement, reported the New York Post.

"Wild populations are silently slipping into extinction, with 40% of the wild giraffe population lost in just the last 3 decades," he further said.

Currently, the Zoo is seeking public help in choosing a name for the calf on their Facebook page. So far, they have narrowed down on four names that are  Kipekee, Firyali, Shakiri, and Jamella, reported the media outlet.