A zoo in Tennessee has reportedly got a rare giraffe with no spots.
The spotless giraffe was born on July 31 at the Brights Zoo in Limestone, Tennessee, and according to the zoo, she is the only solid-colored reticulated giraffe in the world.
Spotless Giraffe Born in Tennessee
On Sunday, the zoo announced a contest to name the newborn giraffe, which is now on display for visitors. In an email to CBS News, the director of the zoo stated that the last spotless giraffe was documented in 1972 in Tokyo. According to archival photographs, the giraffe Toshiko was born at the Ueno Zoo.
Giraffes of the species Reticulated have brown and orange spots. According to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, they are native to Africa and were listed as endangered in 2018.
The zoo stated in a press release that it hopes the giraffe will draw attention to the challenges the species faces in the outdoors.
A family of three uncommon white giraffes was observed in Kenya in the year 2020. The all-white giraffes were affected by leucism, which results in the loss of pigmentation and creates white skin.
After poachers killed two of the giraffes, a conservation group fitted the remaining giraffe with a GPS monitor to track its movements and, presumably, deter poachers.
CBS News has reached out to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation and other experts for additional information on the giraffe without spots.
The reticulated giraffe is an endangered species that was added to the Red List by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature in 2018. Officials at the zoo hope that the attention given to the neonate will aid conservation efforts.
Per USA Today, Tony Bright, the proprietor of Brights Zoo, stated in a press release that 40% of the natural giraffe population has disappeared in the last three decades.
Spotless Giraffe Name Contest
On August 22, the zoo will open a ballot for the female giraffe's name on its Facebook page, where individuals can select one of four options.
The word Kipekee means "unique."
Firyali, which means "unusual or extraordinary," is a Sanskrit word.
Shakiri, whose name translates to "most attractive"
The name Jamella signifies "one of remarkable beauty."
Voting will continue until Labor Day.
The reticulated giraffe is characterized by its massive brown patches separated by lines of cream color. According to the St. Louis Zoo, the animal is native to the Eastern African savannah and is a herbivore.
Females can attain a height of 17 feet and a weight of 2,600 pounds. Currently, the giraffe in Tennessee is 6 feet tall.
According to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, the spots serve predominantly as camouflage but also play a function in the animal's circulatory system. Underneath each location are blood vessels to which a giraffe can send blood to discharge heat.
