Spotless All-Brown Young Giraffe Found in Private Game Reserve in Namibia, First Ever Seen in the Wild

In a private game reserve in Africa, a young Angolan giraffe was discovered, holding the record as the first spotless giraffe found in the wild.

Rare Spotless Angolan Giraffe

The newly-documented giraffe calf was born in central Namibia. It was photographed by wildlife photographer and field guide writer Eckart Demasius near the Mount Etjo Safari Lodge, according to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF). This Namibian giraffe calf is special because it is the first all-brown individual recorded in the wild.

The plain brown baby giraffe, which remains nameless, is a type of Angolan giraffe (Giraffa giraffa angolensis). Also known as the Namibian giraffe or the smokey giraffe, the Angolan giraffe lives in Botswana, northern Namibia, western Zimbabwe, and southern Zambia. Due to the reintroduction efforts in mid-2023, a few members of this group can be seen again in Angola.

GCF co-founder and Director of Conservation Julian Fennessy explained that the lack of spots could be due to genetic mutations or recessive genotypes in one or more genes associated with the pattern. However, these are still considered speculations until a detailed genetic analysis exists.

Ecological genomicist Axel Janke from the Senckenberg Research Institute clarifies that the plain brown giraffe calf does not result from inbreeding. Zoos are very careful in ensuring that inbreeding does not happen to preserve biodiversity. Even if it is observed in the wild, there is strong evidence that inbreeding is not the cause. There are more than 200 giraffe genomes from individuals all over Africa, and no sign of inbreeding has been observed, even in populations that were reduced to 40 individuals.

Color and Pattern Variations in Giraffes

Plain-colored giraffes are rare. In 1972, two documented cases of plain brown giraffes were born in zoos in Japan. In 2018, a mostly black wild zebra foal with white polka dots instead of stripes was found in Kenya's Maasai Mara Wildlife Reserve.

Last July 31, the officials announced the birth of a spotless giraffe calf at Brights Zoo in Limestone, Tennessee. After conducting a public vote, the captive-born giraffe was named Kipekee, which means "unique" in Swahili. Kipekee is classified as a reticulated giraffe or Giraffa reticulata, a species native to northern Kenya, Somalia, and southern Ethiopia.

The absence of color and spot or stripe patterns happens occasionally, even in wild animals. Giraffes can show a variety of color morphs, specifically black (melanistic) or white (leucistic). These color morphs can occur spontaneously, likely during embryonic development when the genes for a colored part are not activated for some reason.

The so-called "black giraffes" are not precisely black, but they only produce an unusually large amount of dark melanin. Meanwhile, the almost pure white giraffe experiences disturbance in melanin production

It was initially thought that giraffes grow darker as they age, but it was recently discovered that color is associated with the social standing of a giraffe in their society. For instance, darker males are considered to be more dominant group members.