Conservationists in Kenya have recorded a rare phenomenon in the animal kingdom: A pair of all-white giraffes.
The animals were spotted by the Hirola Conservation Program working on a tip from a local resident.
“We spent almost 20 minutes with the beautiful animals and had the pleasure of getting close-up photos and video of the duo,” Hirola Conservation Program founder Abdullahi H. Ali told the New York Times. “To our surprise, one normal color reticulated giraffe also was among the mother and calf. You can actually compare the difference.”
The giraffes’ white color is caused by a genetic condition called leucism that affects their cells’ pigmentation, the Program said. Squirrels, elephants, buffalo and bears have all been pictured with the disfiguration as well.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Eyewitness Accounts From the Trump Rally Shooting
- Politicians Condemn Trump Rally Shooting: ‘No Place for Political Violence in Our Democracy’
- From 2022: How the Threat of Political Violence Is Transforming America
- ‘We’re Living in a Nightmare:’ Inside the Health Crisis of a Texas Bitcoin Town
- Remembering Shannen Doherty , the Quintessential Gen X Girl
- How Often Do You Really Need to Wash Your Sheets?
- Welcome to the Noah Lyles Olympics
- Get Our Paris Olympics Newsletter in Your Inbox
Contact us at letters@time.com