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Extremely Rare White Giraffe Photographed In Kenya

Extremely Rare White Giraffe Photographed In Kenya

It is thought the giraffe could be the last of its kind

Jake Massey

Jake Massey

An extremely rare white giraffe has been caught on camera in Kenya.

The majestic animal was photographed on 30 June outside the Ishaqbini Hirola Conservancy in Ijara County.


The giraffe has a rare genetic condition called leucism, which results in a lack of pigmentation in skin cells, hair, fur, feathers or scales - hence its white colour.

Unlike albinism, which is only an absence of melanin, leucism causes a reduction in multiple types of pigment, making the giraffe pure white; though animals with leucism usually have dark eyes, unlike albino animals, which have pink eyes.

The snap of the giraffe could not be rarer, as the animal is believed to be the last of its kind in the world. Two of the almost-extinct creatures were killed by poachers earlier this year, leaving only one male left.

Rangers from the Ishaqbini Hirola Conservancy discovered the carcasses of a female white giraffe and her calf in a village in Garissa County in March.

Two of the last three giraffes were found dead earlier this year.
Ishaqbini Hirola Community Conservancy

Mohammed Ahmednoor, manager of Ishaqbini Hirola Conservancy, said in a statement: "This is a very sad day for the community of Ijara and Kenya as a whole. We are the only community in the world who are custodians of the white giraffe.

"It's killing is a blow to the tremendous steps taken by the community to conserve rare and unique species and a wake-up call for continued support to conservation efforts."

He added: "This is a long-term loss given that genetics studies and research which were significant investment into the area by researchers, has now gone to the drain. Also, the white giraffe was a big boost to tourism in the area.

"After this incident, only a lone bull remains."

The pure white giraffes were first spotted in 2016 and they hit headlines again in 2018 when they were filmed for the first time.

A post from the Hirola Conservation Programme at the time commented that the animals 'were so close and extremely calm and seemed not disturbed by our presence'.

It went on: "The mother kept pacing back and forth a few yards in front of us while signalling the baby giraffe to hide behind the bushes."

Featured Image Credit: Kenya Wildlife Service

Topics: Interesting, Animals