Traditionally the African giraffe comes in a mottled light brown colour, designed to blend in with the terrain it lives in.
That's why when Wildlife Conservation Societist Charles Foley first heard about a white giraffe while doing elephant research in Tanzania, he took notice. He heard stories from the local population about a "ghost giraffe" which stood out from the group due to it's all-white coat. He didn't know whether to believe them until he saw it for himself, 12 full years later!
Since then, white giraffes have been spotted in a number of countries around southern Africa. The highest density of these "ghost" giraffes is found in Niger, where the population is thought to be under 200 animals, making them extremely rare. The lack of coloration is not classical albinism, but is rather thought to be a condition where the animals full pigment never develops, leaving the coat looking a little like a "worn out blanket", as one researcher put it.
(Source)
That's why when Wildlife Conservation Societist Charles Foley first heard about a white giraffe while doing elephant research in Tanzania, he took notice. He heard stories from the local population about a "ghost giraffe" which stood out from the group due to it's all-white coat. He didn't know whether to believe them until he saw it for himself, 12 full years later!
Since then, white giraffes have been spotted in a number of countries around southern Africa. The highest density of these "ghost" giraffes is found in Niger, where the population is thought to be under 200 animals, making them extremely rare. The lack of coloration is not classical albinism, but is rather thought to be a condition where the animals full pigment never develops, leaving the coat looking a little like a "worn out blanket", as one researcher put it.
(Source)
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