Was 'Camouflage' Unnecessary? ... The World's Only 'Plain Giraffe' Born at a US Zoo

Born Last Month at Brights Zoo
First Since 1972 Birth in Japan

A giraffe without any patterns on its body was born at a zoo in the United States, drawing attention.

On the 22nd (local time), CBS and other U.S. media reported that on the 31st of last month, a patternless baby giraffe was born at Brights Zoo located in Limestone, Tennessee.

A giraffe without any patterns on its body was born at a zoo in the United States, attracting attention.
[Photo by Brights Zoo]

The zoo stated that the giraffe is already over 180 cm tall and is being cared for by its mother and zoo staff. A zoo official explained, "Giraffe spots serve as a form of camouflage in the wild, and it is very rare for a giraffe to be born without these patterns," adding, "We believe this giraffe is special."

Except for this patternless giraffe, all other giraffes at Brights Zoo have their own unique spot patterns. Researchers explained that beneath the giraffe's spotted skin, blood vessels are distributed that help release heat, serving as a kind of temperature regulation function, and that these patterns are inherited from the mother.

A zoo official said, "The last recorded case was in 1972 at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Japan, where a patternless giraffe named Toshiko, with a mix of brown and orange, was born."

They added, "Over the past 30 years, 40% of wild giraffe populations have disappeared, and the wild population is quietly heading toward extinction," expressing hope that "the birth of this rare giraffe will increase global interest in giraffes facing extinction."

Meanwhile, giraffes are the tallest herbivores on land. The pattern giraffe to which the newborn belongs is classified as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, with approximately 8,500 individuals remaining in the wild.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.