A female giraffe born in Tennessee at the Brights Zoo, 2023 in July, was born without any spots. Giraffe experts believe she is the only solid-covered giraffe living anywhere on the planet. The calf is a reticulated giraffe which is one of the 4 species of giraffes there are in the world. The giraffe’s name is Kipekke and it is now a 1 year old.
Giraffes are by average usually 14 to 15 feet tall but baby giraffes are 6 feet tall as they are born! Giraffes have quite strange appearances, like an odd purple tongue or their horns that look apparently like “antennas”
Scientists seem to think the reasoning of spotless giraffe skin is genetic mutation or something along the lines of inbreeding in one or more genes. There has only been two spotless giraffes in the world known, the last one was born in 1972. It can be very harmful to not have spots like a giraffe because the spots on the giraffe help keep giraffes cool in hot environments.
Usually giraffes live up to 20-25 years so scientists are going to observe Kipekke and try and understand more of this odd genetic. You can find Kipekke at the Brights Zoo in Tennesee, Limestone.
