White giraffes were among the rarest animals to walk the planet, but now they are gone.
The lifeless bodies of two beautiful white giraffes were discovered in a skeletal state, said rangers at the Ishaqbini Hirola Conservancy.
The Kenya Wildlife Service was called to the reserve as the white giraffes had not been seen for some time. Sadly, the mother and her calf were attacked by poachers.
After seeing the remains, it was estimated that the bones had been there for at least four months.
Mohammed Ahmednoor, manager of the reserve, said in a news release: “This is a very sad day for the community of Ijara and Kenya as a whole. We are the only community in the world who are custodians of the white giraffes.”
Wildlife officials described the killing as “a blow to tremendous steps taken by the community to conserve rare and unique species” and “a wake-up call for continued support to conservation efforts.”
Only one white giraffe in the world remains.
It was in 2017 when the female white giraffe first made headlines. A beautiful calf followed and the family of three lived a peaceful life within the confines of the sanctuary until poachers killed two.
“This is a long term loss given that genetics studies and research which were significant investment into the area by researchers, has now gone to the drain. Further to this the white giraffe was in a big boost to tourism in the area,” Ahmednoor expressed.
White giraffes got their unique color from a genetic condition called leucism. Because the skin cells fail to produce pigmentation, it leads to pale, white or patchy coloration.
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Replaced!