The "world's only spotless giraffe" has finally been given a name after it was born in Tennessee in late July!
As previously reported, a zoo in Tennessee welcomed the world's only known spotless giraffe. This remarkable birth occurred on July 31 at The Brights Zoo, located in Limestone, Tennessee, approximately 80 miles east of Knoxville.
The baby giraffe, with its distinctive brown fur, has garnered widespread attention since her introduction to the public at Brights. Videos capturing the heartwarming moments of the calf being nurtured by her mother have recently surfaced.
In a statement released by the zoo, they declared, "Giraffe experts believe she is the only solid-colored reticulated giraffe living anywhere on the planet," according to WSOC-TV.
The zoo invited the public to participate in selecting a suitable name for this one-of-a-kind creature. Four Swahili-inspired names were proposed for consideration: Kipekee, meaning unique; Friyali, meaning extraordinary; Shakiri, meaning she is most beautiful; and Jamella, meaning one of great beauty.
The zoo took to its Facebook page to announce: "This will run until Labor Day, September 4. On that day, we will tally up all the votes and announce her name. If you would like to get involved in helping giraffe in the wild, please visit Save Giraffes Now; the more support these organizations receive, the better. We want to ensure that future generations get the opportunity to see these wonderful animals in the future."
The results of the poll were revealed on NBC's The Today Show on September 5, and the winning name was Kipekee!
Given that the Swahili-inspired name means unique, it's definitely the perfect fit for this distinctive giraffe!
The zoo’s director David Bright said: "For a lot of guests we talked to, that was the easiest name for a child to say."
Kipekee finished on a staggering 16,000 votes while Shakiri came in second with 10,000 votes - so it was a bit of a landslide!
"She’s still very laid back, curious about everything, and checking everything out every day," Bright added.
This unique calf's coloring has left experts at the zoo perplexed, as all previous spotless giraffes were born with white fur. Tony Bright, the zoo's founder, expressed: "The international coverage of our patternless baby giraffe has created a much-needed spotlight on giraffe conservation."
Bright went on to emphasize the critical state of giraffe populations, stating: "Wild populations are silently slipping into extinction, with 40 percent of the wild giraffe population lost in just the last 3 decades."
The newborn belongs to the reticulated giraffe breed, which has seen its population decline by half from 38,000 in 2008 to 2018, as reported by the zoo.
Despite being only a month old, the unnamed baby giraffe already stands at over six feet tall, receiving care from both her mother and the dedicated staff at The Brights Zoo.
The intricate spots and patterns adorning a giraffe's coat not only provide camouflage in the wild to evade predators but also serve a crucial role in thermoregulation. Each distinct patch on a giraffe's coat is accompanied by a substantial blood vessel network that branches into smaller vessels beneath the patch.
This ingenious design allows the giraffe's body to circulate blood through the smaller vessels, effectively using the patches as thermal windows. Through these thermal windows, the giraffe can release excess body heat, contributing to its ability to adapt to varying environmental conditions.
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