Two rare white spotless giraffes — a mother and a baby — were filmed in early August in Kenya after being spotted repeatedly since June in the Garissa County area.
Kenya (21 August 2023) – The remarkable white spotless giraffes have been sighted in northeastern Kenya. These creamy giraffes barely even look real, but the Hirola Conservation Program (HCP) captured a mother and baby in a video.
The reticulated giraffes are white because of a genetic condition called leucism, which causes a loss of pigmentation. Leucism is different from albinism because multiple types of pigment are reduced rather than just melanin. White giraffes have so far only been found in Tanzania and Kenya. A white giraffe was first seen in January 2016 in Tarangire National Park, Tanzania, and in March 2016, one was seen in Kenya.
The new video was captured by the Hirola Conservation Program, which is protecting wildlife in the area as a Rainforest Trust partner in Kenya.
The Hirola Conservation blog noted the baby giraffe had darker reticulation than the mother, though still faint, and wondered whether babies are born with darker markings and if they fade as the baby grows up.
According to the blog, the surrounding community members don’t remember seeing any white giraffes until recently and added they are unsure whether changes in the environmental conditions or something else may be causing the condition.
Watch the clip below:
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