Kenya’s only female white giraffe and her calf have been killed by poachers at Ishaqbini Hirola Community Conservancy, Garissa county.

In a statement released by Ishaqbini Hirola Community Conservancy, it was gathered that the bodies of the two giraffes were found “in a skeletal state after being killed by armed poachers” in Garissa in eastern Kenya.

The female giraffe’s calf was the second birth reported in August last year, resulting in a family of three white giraffes in the country.

The facility’s manager Mohammed Ahmednoor who described the incident as a big blow to their efforts of conserving the rare and unique species, revealed that only a lone bull remains after the sad incident.

He said;

“This is a very sad day for the community of Ijara and Kenya as a whole. We are the only community in the world who are custodians of the white giraffe. Its 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,” Ahmedoor said.

“This is a long term loss given that genetics studies and research which were significant investment into the area by researchers, has now gone to the drain. Further to this, the white giraffe was a big boost to tourism in the area.”

The white giraffe made headlines in 2017 after its discovery, with its unique white hide. Its unique colour is not caused by albinism but a condition known as leucism; which means they continue to produce dark pigment in their soft tissue, giving them dark eyes.