Researchers with the Giraffe Conservation Foundation recently spotted two dwarf giraffes in Namibia and Uganda. These adult male giraffes are the first dwarf giraffes that have been described in the scientific literature. Using digital photogrammetry techniques, the researchers found that these giraffes had shorter legs compared to others of similar age. Limited mobility caused by shorter leg dimension might make these giraffes more susceptible to predation, even in the adult life stages. Also, successful mounting for breeding seems physically improbable, suggesting the inability to transfer any potential genes associated with this condition. However, the researchers caution that the study was conducted largely on two opportunistic observations of wild giraffes encountered in the field.
He may be smaller than his relatives but Gimli is confounding scientists and stealing hearts.
Your average giraffe stands at around 16 feet tall, making them the tallest mammals on Earth.
Michael Brown is a conservation science fellow with the Giraffe Conservation Foundation and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute. He and his colleagues couldn t believe their eyes when they found a Nubian giraffe in Uganda’s Murchison Falls National Park in 2015 that was just 9 feet, 4 inches tall.
“The initial reaction was disbelief,” Dr. Brown said.
(Pic: Michael Brown)
Gimli the giraffe has the usual long neck, but his legs aren t. The scientists said it looked like someone had put a giraffe’s head and neck on a horse’s body.
Gimil and Nigel are two giraffes living in Africa that were born with dwarfism or skeletal dysplasia. The condition hindered their growth to no more than nine feet tall - the average giraffe is 18 feet tall.
New York Times, dwarfism is very rare among wild animals.
According to
Metro, both giraffes are around the same age and originated from the same population. And their condition doesn t seem to affect their health, since scientists think that these short giraffes will live as long as their taller counterparts –– though their size may make them easier prey.
Not only are Gimli and Nigel a big discovery for science, the rest of us can simply enjoy how adorable and serene-looking they are.
Andrea Romano is a freelance writer in New York City. Follow her on Twitter @theandrearomano.
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January 7, 2021 11:45 AM VideoElephant
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January 8, 2021 10:23 AM
Researchers with the Giraffe Conservation Foundation recently spotted two dwarf giraffes in Namibia and Uganda. These adult male giraffes are the first dwarf giraffes that have been described in the scientific literature.