World's only spotless giraffe is born at Tennessee zoo
The Brights Zoo in Tennessee to hold naming vote for new giraffe – who was born without spots!
- The unnamed baby was born on July 31 with no spots, making it the only known living spotless giraffe
- ‘Giraffe experts believe she is the only solid-colored reticulated giraffe living anywhere on the planet,’ the zoo said
- The Swahili-based choices for her name are Kipekee, Friyali or Jamella
It might be easier than usual to spot the newest baby giraffe that’s recently been born at a zoo in Tennessee – and even easier to give her a name.
The unnamed baby was born on July 31 with no spots, making it the only known living spotless giraffe.
Video shows the new calf playing and being nurtured by her mother, who continues to care for her while she makes her public debut.
The Brights Zoo in Limestone, Tennessee, has debuted the baby giraffe after finding out just how rare she was.
‘Giraffe experts believe she is the only solid-colored reticulated giraffe living anywhere on the planet,’ the zoo – which is located about 80 miles east of Knoxville – said in a statement.
This unnamed baby giraffe was born on July 31 at the Brights Zoo in Tennessee with no spots, making it the only known living brown spotless giraffe
While other spotless calves have been born before, none of them have had the new baby’s brown coat of fur.
Usually, spotless giraffes are born with a fully white body, unlike the new six-foot-tall Tennessee calf.
The zoo has started showing the special new arrival to visitors, while she remains under the care of her mother. Officials say that she’s ‘thriving.’
Experts have been unable to explain, however, why the baby giraffe is such a color, according to zoo founder Tony Bright.
‘The international coverage of our patternless baby giraffe has created a much-needed spotlight on giraffe conservation,’ Bright said in a statement.
He hopes that, regardless of color, the attraction of the new giraffe will make people pay attention to the peril many giraffe breeds are in.
‘Wild populations are silently slipping into extinction, with 40 percent of the wild giraffe population lost in just the last 3 decades.’
Reticulated giraffes, which the new baby is, have seen their population of 38,000 dip in half from 2008 to 2018, according to the zoo.
Video shows the new calf playing and being nurtured by her mother, who continues to care for her while she makes her public debut
While other spotless calfs have been born before, none of them have had the new baby’s brown coat of fur
Experts have been unable to explain, however, why the baby giraffe is such a color
The baby remains without a name, something the Brights Zoo is hoping the public will help rectify.
They’ve offered a poll that will allow fans to choose from four different names, with the most votes going to the most popular moniker.
Brights Zoo says the names are all a nod to Swahili, the language spoken in Eastern Africa where reticulated giraffes like this calf are originally from.
The choices are Kipekee, meaning unique; Friyali, meaning extraordinary; Shakiri, meaning she is most beautiful; or Jamella, meaning one of great beauty.
Brights Zoo will open up the poll to the public on Tuesday on their Facebook page.
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