Poachers have killed the popular white giraffe in the country and her calf at Ishaqbini Hirola Community Conservancy in Garissa County.
The death of the white giraffe was confirmed today by community members of the community conservancy. It was found in a skeletal state after being killed by armed poachers.
Ishaqbini Hirola Conservancy State Mohammed Ahmednoor said that its death is a blow to tremendous steps taken to conserve rare and unique species.
This is a very sad day for the community of Ijara and Kenya as a whole. We are the only community in the world who are custodians of the white giraffe. Its killing is a blow to tremendous steps taken by the community to conserve rare and unique species, and a wakeup call for continued support to conservation efforts
Mohammed Ahmednoor
He added that the giraffe was a big boost to tourism in the area since its discovery back in 2017. The giraffe was diagnosed to have a condition known as leucism and not albinism. Unlike albinism, leucism inhibits skin cells from producing pigments but allows other organs like the eyes to have a dark colour.
Leucistic animals rarely survive past one year mainly due to predation making it impossible to study them.
This is a long term loss given that genetics studies and research which were significant investment into the area by researchers, has now gone to the drain. Further to this the white giraffe was a big boost to tourism in the area
Mohammed Ahmednoor
One bull remains after this incident.
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