One Of A Kind White Giraffe In Kenya Got A Tracking Device For Safety

By Mayukh Saha / Truth Theory

Kenya is a known habitat for extraordinary fauna species. Recently, their white giraffes gained attraction from the world. Unfortunately, last March, some poachers killed a female white giraffe and her calf. Now, the sole known white giraffe standing in the world is the male one. 

In an effort to increase the security and protection of this unique giraffe breed, the officials have fitted a tracking device onto the male white giraffe. The GPS device will send out updates on the giraffe’s location by the hour. On Tuesday, the Ishaqbini Hirola Community Conservancy released a statement and said that the GPS device has been fitted on the giraffe’s horns. 

The conservancy is in Garissa County, Kenya. Hopefully, with the device, the rangers will be able to protect the last white giraffe standing. 

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Conservancy Manager Says Future Is Well For The Last White Male

During the press release, the manager of the conservancy, Ahmed Noor, said that the recent rains have blessed the region with great vegetation. This means that the giraffe won’t have to go far off trying to find grazing spots. Noor also said that it signals a good and safe future for the white male giraffe. 

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The manager further praised Northern Rangelands Trust, Save Giraffes Now, and the Kenya Wildlife Service for safeguarding the wildlife. 

Antony Wandera from Northern Rangelands Trust told media sources that their mission is to enable communities to secure their livelihood and protect the extraordinary wildlife. He also said that the communities have to be aware and resilient. 

White Male Lives With A Genetic Trait Called Leucism

The unique white giraffe is a result of leucism, a very rare trait of the gene. It causes the animals to lose their pigmentation partially, which makes them more vulnerable to poachers. This condition is somewhat different from albinism as these animals produce darker pigments on their softer tissues. This is also why the white male giraffe has dark eyes. 

Last March, it was a sad day for the world as the rangers found two white giraffes’ skeletal remains. It was later deduced that the poachers killed both the mother and the calf white giraffes. 

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These unique giraffes made the news in 2017. The female and her calf were spotted in the wild. Soon after, the female gave birth to another calf. The three giraffes lived inside the conservancy and were a huge tourist attraction. Several videos of the white giraffe on YouTube garnered over a million views. Magazines like The Guardian, National Geographic, Inside Edition, and USA Today have also featured the white giraffes. 

The African Wildlife Foundation has estimated that we have lost around 40 percent of the giraffe population in the last thirty years.

Images Credit: Northern Rangelands Trust