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.
