Tennessee’s Brights Zoo is holding a naming vote for a new giraffe — who was born spotless!
- The unnamed baby was born July 31 without spots, making it the only known living spotless giraffe
- “Giraffe experts believe she is the only solid-colored reticulated giraffe living anywhere in the world,” the zoo said.
- The Swahili-based choices for her name are Kipekee, Friyali, or Jamella
It may be easier than usual to spot the newest baby giraffe recently born at a Tennessee zoo — and even easier to name her.
The unnamed baby was born July 31 without spots, making it the only known living spotless giraffe.
The video shows the new calf playing and being nursed by her mother, who continues to care for her as she makes her public debut.
The Brights Zoo in Limestone, Tennessee, first introduced the baby giraffe after learning how rare it was.
“Giraffe experts believe she is the only solid-colored reticulated giraffe living anywhere in the world,” the zoo — which is located about 80 miles east of Knoxville — said in a statement.
This unnamed baby giraffe was born July 31 at Tennessee’s Brights Zoo with no spots, making it the only known living brown spotless giraffe
While other spotless calves have been born before, none of them have had the new baby’s brown fur.
Usually, spotless giraffes are born with an all-white body, unlike the new six-foot-tall Tennessee calf.
The zoo has begun showing the special new arrival to visitors while she remains in her mother’s care. Officials say she is “thriving.”
However, experts have been unable to explain why the baby giraffe has such a color, according to zoo founder Tony Bright.
“The international coverage of our patternless baby giraffe has created a much-needed spotlight on giraffe conservation,” Bright said in a statement.
He hopes that regardless of color, the new giraffe’s appeal will make people pay attention to the danger many giraffe breeds are in.
“Wild populations are quietly dying out, with 40 percent of the wild giraffe population lost in just the last 3 decades.”
Reticulated giraffes, which is the new baby, halved their population of 38,000 between 2008 and 2018, according to the zoo.
Video shows the new calf playing and being nursed by her mother, who continues to care for her as she makes her public debut
While other spotless calves have been born before, none of them have had the new baby’s brown fur
However, experts have not been able to explain why the baby giraffe has such a color
The baby remains unnamed, something the Brights Zoo hopes the public will help rectify.
They’ve offered a poll that allows fans to choose from four different names, with the most votes going to the most popular name.
Brights Zoo says the names are all a nod to Swahili, the language spoken in East Africa, where reticulated giraffes like this calf originated.
The choices are Kipekee, which means unique; Friyali, meaning extraordinary; Shakiri, meaning she is most beautiful; or Jamella, meaning one of great beauty.
Brights Zoo will open the poll to the public on Tuesday their Facebook page.