"A reticulated giraffe at a zoo in Limestone, Tennessee is going viral after being born without spots. Zookeepers at Brights Zoo have dubbed the brown female giraffe, which was born on July 31, "the world's rarest" of the species and believe that she's the only solid-colored reticulated giraffe (Giraffa reticulata) in the world, according to a statement," the Live Science says.

"Despite being only a few weeks old, the long-necked mammal already stands at an impressive 6 feet (1.8 meters) tall. The only other known instance of a spotless reticulated giraffe dates back to the 1970s, when a baby named Toshiko was born sans spots at a zoo in Japan, according to archival photos.

"A giraffe's spots are paramount for the animal's survival, especially in the wild, where the colored patches camouflage the animals from predators in the savannas of Africa, according to the Denver Zoo."

"On 31 July, at Brights Zoo in Limestone, Tennessee, a giraffe without spots was born. The zoo said, according to experts, they believe she is the only solid-coloured reticulated giraffe on the planet," the Independent reports.



"The zoo that welcomed a rare spotless giraffe has now been named after weeks of collecting suggestions and votes."

"Brights Zoo is a private, family-owned facility nestled in the hills of East Tennessee. Animals living here include some rare & endangered species such as addax, bongo and scimitar-horned oryx, and bactrian camels.The center also contains more common but exotic creatures like red kangaroos, spider monkeys, pandas and zebras," the official website says.

"Brights Zoo is a proud supporter of several important conservation organizations that protect wildlife and their natural environment. The zoo frequently donates money to these organizations and holds fundraisers with proceeds going to aid these conservation groups. Below are some institutions that Brights Zoo contributes to based on their dedication to animal conservation and management efforts. 

"Each year Brights Zoo donates thousands of dollars to different conservation efforts.   If you would like to assist Brights Zoo in raising more money for conservation please feel free to donate to our conservation program.   There are several ways you can assist us in these efforts.   If your at the zoo we keep multiple donation boxes out that guests can put money in.   If you prefer to do so online we do have different levels of donation available."

"It’s easy to spot the difference. A baby giraffe born and on view in a private Tennessee zoo is garnering global attention for its solid brown color devoid of the characteristic camouflage patches," The Washington Post says.

"The 6-foot-tall giraffe was born on July 31 at Brights Zoo in Limestone, which said in a statement Monday that she is the only solid-colored living reticulated giraffe on the planet. The zoo hopes the spotless creature will help draw attention to the conservation of wild giraffes, whose numbers have dwindled in recent years.

"The reticulated giraffe is one of the four distinct species of giraffe, according to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF), a group that works to save giraffes in the wild. In 2018, the International Union for Conservation of Nature added it to a list of threatened species."

"A female reticulated giraffe was born at Brights Zoo in northeastern Tennessee late last month — but unlike her mother she was born without any spots, a rarity," the NPR says.

"Standing 14 to 15 feet tall, giraffes are the tallest mammals in the world. When mothers give birth, the calves are already 6 feet tall, and other than on especially rare occasions, they're born covered from hoof to horn in brown spots. Brights Zoo in Limestone, Tenn., announced that it welcomed the birth of a reticulated giraffe without any spots on July 31, WJHL 11 News reported.

"The zoo's director, David Bright, said zoo staff have been reaching out to zoo professionals across the country inquiring about how rare the giraffe could be. So far, zoo officials say the only record of a reticulated giraffe being born without spots was in Japan in the 1970s."

"Meet Kipekee. That's the name given to the 5-week-old baby giraffe at the Brights Zoo in Limestone, Tennessee. She's the only known spotless giraffe in the world," the ABC7 Los Angeles says

"Kipekee means "unique" in Swahili. Some 40,000 people voted to name her. The last time a spotless giraffe appeared in the spotlight was in Tokyo more than 50 years ago."

"On July 31, Brights Zoo in Limestone, TN welcomed a new baby giraffe. However, unlike any normal animal birth, the currently unnamed giraffe was born without any spots," The East Tennessean says.

"According to brightszoo.com, she is the only known spotless giraffe in the world, with the last recorded being in Tokyo, Japan in 1972. That’s over 50 years ago. The zoo’s website also notes that she was easily accepted into the herd and is treated just the same by other giraffes.

"Brights Zoo is currently searching for a name for her, with public voting open at today.com and on the zoo’s Facebook page. The names you can vote on are Kipekee, Firyali, Shakiri and Jamella. Each of these names have a meaning such as unique or extraordinary, which correlate to her rare spotless nature. The voting is open until Labor Day."

"Brights Zoo, located in Limestone, introduced the world to the rare giraffe last month. The zoo shared the name of the 5-week-old giraffe during a Monday segment on Good Morning America," the Fox News reported.

"After an online poll, with nearly 40,000 votes, the zoo said it had settled on Kipekee, a Swahili word meaning "unique." The name won by a margin of 6,000 votes. The family-owned establishment believes that Kipekee is the only known solid-colored reticulated giraffe in the world.

"What makes her so rare? Simply put it is because she was born without a pattern. We know the last time this took place was in 1972 in Tokyo, Japan," the zoo said in a statement."

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