World’s first dwarf giraffes spotted in Uganda and Namibia
2021-01-08
Giraffes are known for their height, but the first two dwarf giraffes ever discovered—one 2.8 meters tall and one 2.6 meters tall—are bucking that trend, The New York Times reports. The animals, found in national parks in Uganda and Namibia (above, right), were both diagnosed with skeletal dysplasia, a condition that affects bone growth, scientists reported last month in BMC Research Notes. (You can watch a video of the Ugandan giraffe here.) This condition, rare in wildlife, significantly shortened the giraffes’ legs—which they can’t use to run or kick effectively—but it had no effect on their long necks.~ssciencemag.org, 8 January 2021