Current:Home > MarketsSpotless giraffe seen in Namibia, weeks after one born at Tennessee zoo -FundCenter
Spotless giraffe seen in Namibia, weeks after one born at Tennessee zoo
View
Date:2025-04-16 03:20:25
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! (9)
Related
- Israel lets Palestinians go back to northern Gaza for first time in over a year as cease
- The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra will tour Asia for the first time in June
- Massachusetts bill aims to make child care more accessible and affordable
- Where to find Stanley Easter tumblers now that they've sold out
- EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
- In State of the Union address, Biden to urge Congress to pass measures to lower health care costs
- NFL mock draft: Broncos, Eagles aim to fill holes left by Russell Wilson, Jason Kelce
- Baltimore to pay $275k in legal fees after trying to block far-right Catholic group’s 2021 rally
- As Trump Enters Office, a Ripe Oil and Gas Target Appears: An Alabama National Forest
- Conservation groups sue to stop a transmission line from crossing a Mississippi River refuge
Ranking
- Stamford Road collision sends motorcyclist flying; driver arrested
- Broncos release two-time Pro Bowl safety Justin Simmons, team's longest-tenured player
- Lace Up, These Hoka Sneaker Deals Won’t Last Long & You Can Save Up to 51%
- West Virginia could become the 12th state to ban smoking in cars with kids present
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Triathlon
- Alabama lawmakers have approved a school choice program
- Lululemon's We Made Too Much Section Seems Almost Too Good to be True: $118 Bottoms for Just $49 & More
- 'You get paid a lot of money': Kirsten Dunst says she's open for another superhero movie
Recommendation
Apple iOS 18.2: What to know about top features, including Genmoji, AI updates
In State of the Union address, Biden to urge Congress to pass measures to lower health care costs
Looking for a deal? Aldi to add 800 more stores in US by 2028
Why Oscars Host Jimmy Kimmel Thinks Jo Koy Should Get a Golden Globes Do-Over
'Malcolm in the Middle’ to return with new episodes featuring Frankie Muniz
Horned 'devil comet' eruption may coincide with April 8 total solar eclipse: What to know
New York City FC CEO Brad Sims shares plans, construction timeline for new stadium
Lone orca kills great white shark in never-before-seen incident, scientists say