Nature is incredible. As humans, we often think we’ve seen all there is to see.
But nature, being incredible and all, surprises us over and over again.
It may surprise you to know that there is such a thing as a white giraffe. Two of these white giraffes were spotted for the first time ever on video last year, according to Educate Inspire Change.
The two giraffes were spotted on a reserve in Kenya by rangers at Hirola Conservation Program.
“We spent almost 20 minutes with the beautiful animals and had the pleasure of getting close-up photos and video of the duo,” Hirola found, Abdullahi H. Ali, told The New York Times. “To our surprise, one normal color reticulated giraffe also was among the mother and calf. You can actually compare the difference.”
Most people were quick to call the giraffes as albino giraffes, but they’re not.
They have a genetic condition called leucism, according to National Geographic.
Leucism is a condition that prevents skin cells from producing pigment. However, organs like eyes can still be dark colored. Albinism prevents the body from producing pigments in all organs.
So, if these were albino giraffes they would have pink eyes which represent a lack of pigmentation.
Leucism is a rare condition, but not completely unheard of.
The last sighting of a giraffe with leucism was in Tanzania’s Tarangire National Park.
Genetically speaking, animals with leucism aren’t at a genetic disadvantage in terms of health because of their condition.
But their coloring, or lack thereof, could make them extra visible to predators.
More than half of all giraffes don’t make it past the age of six months, the Giraffe Conservation Foundation reports. This is because they often make a nice meal for lions and hyenas.
So being white from head to toe can make them stand out more.
The video of the two white giraffes ended up going viral and has been viewed more than 563,000 times.
“Rangers spotted two extremely rare white giraffes in northeastern Kenya. They have leucism, a genetic condition that causes skin cells to produce no pigmentation,” the video’s caption read.
“Their lack of camouflage and bright coloring could attract predators. Though uncommon, leucism occurs in many species, including penguins, eagles, and hippos.”
Some have said that showing videos or photos of these animals can leave them susceptible to poachers.
The Tarangire National Park has taken measures to ensure that the rare giraffes are protected from poachers.
The Hirola Conservation Program hasn’t announced that they’ve taken any such security measures. You can see the video of the two rare white giraffes in the video below.
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