SPOTLESS GIRAFFE BORN IN THE US
A zoo in Tennessee has welcomed the birth of a baby giraffe. But, this isn’t just any birth, it’s a special one because the baby giraffe is spotless.
The 1.8 metres tall calf was born on 31 July at Bright’s Zoo. There are four different types of giraffe species and this one is a reticulated giraffe.
According to Denver Zoo, the word “reticulated” refers to the giraffe’s network of polygonal brown spots, broken up by veins of creamy off-white. Underneath every single spot is a blood vessel system that’s incredibly sophisticated compared to those of other animals.
The spots function primarily as camouflage in the savannas of northern Kenya where they live and graze.
According to the privately-owned zoo, the calf might be the “only solid-coloured reticulated giraffe living anywhere on the planet”.
CBS News reported that the last spotless giraffe in captivity was likely a calf born at Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo in 1972.
Image credit: NY Post