Standing at roughly 16 feet, giraffes are by far the tallest mammals on Earth. The surprising discovery of dwarfism in the species shocked scientists and environmentalists alike.
In a paper published in BMC Research Notes from the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF), two dwarf giraffes have been observed in separate populations in Uganda and Namibia.
What is Dwarfism?
Dwarfism or skeletal dysplasia is described by Johns Hopkins Medicine as a group of genetic, bone, and neurological conditions that cause abnormal bone growth. This often results in stunted growth.
Skeletal dysplasia is often observed in humans and domestic animals such as cows, pigs, and dogs. However, only till now have scientists discovered dwarfism in giraffes.
Discovery of Dwarf Giraffes
The Giraffa camelopardalis is the tallest mammal that stands at a minimum of 14 feet up to 19 feet. Even the smallest giraffe is twice as tall as professional basketball players. The herbivore weighs approximately 793 to 1,270 kilograms, which makes the discovery of dwarf giraffes even more surprising.
"The initial reaction was disbelief," says Michael Brown, a conservationist with the team of Giraffe Conservation Foundation. In a paper published in BMC Research Notes, the team came across the specimens in Uganda's Murchinson Falls National Park back in 2015.
The dwarf giraffe was only 9 feet tall and 4 inches.
Nicknamed Gimli, the neck of the giraffe was characteristically long, however, its legs weren't. It seemed as though the neck of the giraffe was placed on a horse's body.
Roughly three years after, an 8 and 1/2 -foot-tall Angolan giraffe, Nicknamed Nigel, was found on a private Namibian farm. After careful analysis and research, the team concluded that there could only be one explanation for the strange phenomenon: Dwarfism.
When images of Gimli and Nigel first circulated online many were in disbelief calling the images forged or photoshopped.
"I didn't believe it initially," says David O'Connor, the president of Save Giraffes Now.
Using digital analysis, the team discovered that both Gimli and Nigel had shorter legs, radius, and metacarpal bones compared to same-age males in the population.
"Instances of wild animals with these types of skeletal dysplasias are extraordinarily rare" explains Dr. Brown.
The published study notes that in the 1980s due to civil unrest and bushmeat poaching, Uganda's giraffe population experiences a significant bottleneck. Across Africa, the giraffe population has experienced drastic declines over the past 30 years leading to an extinction crisis.
Population monitoring and conservation efforts by the GCF and partners across Africa are providing vital information to ensure the survival of the species.
"Gimli" was named in honor of J.R.R Tolkien's Lord of the Rings that represented genetic diversity.
Today researchers are unsure of the effects the condition has on the survival of giraffes especially in terms of reproduction.
The Giraffe Conservation Foundation continues to monitor and observed the two males for any behavioral and social variances.
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