White Giraffe and Calf Confirmed Dead in Garissa

On 10th March 2020, scouts at the Ishaqbini Hirola Community Conservancy, Garissa County, found Kenya’s only female white giraffe dead, along with her calf.

A RARE BEAUTY: Kenya’s only female white giraffe passed her unique colouring onto two calves, and the family were celebrated and loved by the Ishaqbini community.

Initial reports from the community indicate armed poaching as the cause. Ishaqbini Community Conservancy management are working closely with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to establish the facts.

The adult female had two calves in her lifetime, both male, and both carried the same rare, unique colouring as her, though to be a condition known as leucism - which causes partial loss of pigmentation in the skin. Unlike albinism, animals with leucism still produce dark pigment in their soft tissue, which explains the family’s dark eyes and tail hair.

The ‘white giraffe family’ were an immense source of pride in the Ishaqbini community, and made international headlines over the years. They were featured in: The Guardian, The Telegraph, The New York Times and All Africa amongst other publications.

“This is a very sad day for the community of Ijara and Kenya as a whole,” said Mohammed Ahmednoor, manager of Ishaqbini Hirola Conservancy. “We are the only community in the world who are custodians of the white giraffe. Their 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.”

While one calf was found deceased next to his mother, the other is alive and being closely monitored by Ishaqbini scouts and the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).