Extremely rare white giraffe gets follow-up after poachers kill its family

An extremely rare white giraffe was fitted with a tracking device for its protection after its family was killed by poachers.

The giraffe, in the Ishaqbini Hirola reserve in south-eastern Kenya, has a rare genetic condition called leucism that causes partial loss of pigmentation in its skin. It was fitted with a tracking device on one of its horns on November 8, the Northern Rangelands Trust said in a statement on Tuesday.

Confidence says it is the only white giraffe in the world, although another was spotted in Tanzania in 2015.

The device will send hourly updates on the animal’s whereabouts, so guards can monitor its movements on a daily basis and protect it from poachers.

The unusual coloring makes the animal dangerously vulnerable to poachers in the wild.

Two more white giraffes in the reserve, a female and her calf, were killed by poachers in March, according to the trust, and concerns are growing for the remaining animal.

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The three white giraffes were “a huge source of pride in the Ishaqbini community” and have made international headlines over the years, the Confidence added.

“The giraffe’s grazing area has been blessed with good rains in recent times and the abundance of vegetation bodes well for the future of the white male,” said Ahmed Noor, director of the Ishaqbini Hirola Community Conservatory. .

Giraffes are the largest mammals in the world, reaching heights of over 18 feet.

The African Wildlife Foundation estimates that the species has lost 40 percent of its population in just 30 years, and recent reports show that poaching and wildlife trafficking are contributing to this decline.

There are more than 68,000 giraffes in the world, according to the foundation. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature classifies the species as vulnerable.