The world’s last known surviving white giraffe has been equipped with a tracking device in order for the authorities to have a better chance of protecting it.

With poaching threatening protected wildlife populations in Kenya, conservation officials are working to protect a male white giraffe, who is currently the only known giraffe of its kind that is still alive, from bounty hunters.

White giraffes are extremely rare, whereas their white color is a result of leucism, a genetic condition that causes partial loss of pigmentation.

The white giraffe in question is believed to be the only known member of its kind roaming the wild, sparking concerns over the animal’s safety.

To protect the white male, Ishaqbini Hirola Community Conservancy fitted the animal with a GPS tracking device that will provide updates on the giraffe’s whereabouts on an hourly basis, Associated Press reported.

As the officials vowed, the rangers will closely monitor the animal’s movements throughout the Garissa County conservancy.

“The giraffe’s grazing range has been blessed with good rains in the recent past and the abundant vegetation bodes well for the future of the white male,” Ishaqbini Hirola Community Conservancy’s manager, Ahmed Noor, said.

Mr. Noor also thanked the Northern Rangelands Trust, Save Giraffes Now, and Kenya Wildlife Service for helping them in securing a safer future for the rare animal.

“Our mission is to work with communities, enable them [to] be resilient, secure their livelihoods as well as protect the unique wildlife like the only known white giraffe,” Antony Wandera of the Northern Rangelands Trust added.

 

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