These
incredible snaps show a rare white giraffe grazing in the African bush.
Omo the
white giraffe has been spotted roaming around Tarangire National Park, in
Tanzania, along with the rest of her herd - who don't seem to be bothered about
her unusual colouring.
Ecologist Dr
Derek Lee, founder and scientist at the Wild Nature Institute, caught the pale
giraffe on camera.
Derek, 45,
said: 'Omo is leucistic, meaning many of the skin cells are incapable of making
a pigment but some are, so she is pale - but not pure white with red or blue
eyes as a true albino would be.
'It is a
genetic condition.
'Omo is the
only pale giraffe we are currently aware of, but we have also observed
leucistic waterbuck, cape buffalo and ostrich in Tarangire'.
He added: 'Omo
appears to get along with the other giraffes, she has always been seen with a
large group of normally coloured giraffe - they don't seem to mind her
different colouring.
'Omo is now
15 months old - she survived her first year as a small calf, which is the most
dangerous time for a young giraffe due to lion, leopard and hyena preying on
them.
'Her chances
of surviving to adulthood are good - but adult giraffe are regularly poached
for bush meat, and her colouration might make her a target.
'We and our
partners are working on giraffe conservation and anti-poaching to help give Omo
and her relatives a better chance of survival.
'We hope
that she lives a long life and that some day she has calves of her own.'
Wild Nature
Institute does scientific research, public education and advocacy for the
preservation of wild nature.
They are
conducting the biggest ever giraffe research project, using giraffe's natural
spot patters to identify every individual giraffe, documenting the lives of
more than 2,100 giraffe in Tarangire National Park.
SOURCES
dailymail.co.uk
telegraph.co.uk
boredpanda.com
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