Rare white giraffe and her calf killed in Kenya

In Kenya, a rare white giraffe and her calf have been killed, presumably by poachers. The skeletons of the two animals were found Tuesday in the Ishaqbini Hirola Nature Reserve in the east of the country.

Animal protectors saw the giraffe and her calf, which are known in Kenya, just about a month ago. Probably poachers shot the two animals, says Mohamed Ahmed Noor, who is in charge of the reserve.

It is also possible that fighters from the terrorist group Al-Shabaab killed them. The militia is active in neighboring Somalia and border areas.

“This is a very sad day for the Ijara community and Kenya as a whole. Her murder is a blow to the community’s efforts to conserve rare and unique species and a call for continued support for conservation efforts,” said Mr. Ahmednoor in a statement.

There are few white giraffes in Kenya and they are rarely spotted. In 2017, the rare White Giraffe put remote community conservation in Ijara, Garissa, on the world map after its discovery. The giraffe, described as unique and considered the only one of its kind in the world, has dazzled the local community, scientists and wildlife enthusiasts around the world.

Scientists believed it suffered from a genetic disease called leucism, which prevents skin cells from producing pigments.