It is the first time in half a century that a baby giraffe has been born! Only one “baby giraffe without pattern” in the world.

One baby animal has attracted media attention from around the world.

In late July, a baby giraffe was born at the Brights Zoo in Tennessee, USA, with “no pattern at all” on its normally spotted amime giraffe. Megu Gunji, an anatomist known as “Dr. Giraffe” and assistant professor at Toyo University’s School of Life Sciences, explains, “The reason for the lack of pattern is unclear.

The reason for the lack of patterns has not yet been clearly elucidated. However, it is thought that a mutation of a gene related to the pattern has occurred, and the “reticulate pattern,” which should normally be produced, has not been produced. In 2004, a white giraffe was discovered in Kenya because of a hereditary white variant. This is probably the third giraffe with no pattern that has been found in the world. It is an extremely rare phenomenon.

This is the first “patternless giraffe” in half a century, since Toshiko was born at the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo in 1972. While the big news has been spreading, there are also concerns.

Giraffes can be seen in zoos and in their African habitat, so there is a bias that it is “natural” to see them. In reality, however, the giraffe population has plummeted by more than 40% over the past 30 years. They are in such a state of crisis that they are listed as an endangered species. I would be happy if this issue can be used as an opportunity to draw people’s attention to conservation activities,” said Gunji.

The baby giraffe, which is too rare and too cute to be found anywhere else in the world, may be the savior of the giraffe world.

From the September 15 and 22, 2023 issue of FRIDAY