Current:Home > FinanceAfter asking public to vote, Tennessee zoo announces name for its rare spotless giraffe-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
After asking public to vote, Tennessee zoo announces name for its rare spotless giraffe
View Date:2024-12-23 19:26:46
A rare spotless giraffe born at Brights Zoo in Limestone, Tennessee, this summer captured hearts. Now, the newborn finally has a name. After asking the public to vote on a name for the baby, the zoo on Tuesday declared the winner. The giraffe will be called Kipekee, which means "unique" in Swahili.
The zoo announced the choice on Facebook, where, in a post last month, it asked people to choose between four symbolic names: Kipekee, which means "unique;" Firyali, which means "unusual" or "extraordinary;" Shakiri, which means "she is most beautiful" and Jamella, which means "one of great beauty."
The zoo received over 40,000 votes, and Kipekee won by a margin of 6,000 votes, the zoo said in a news release.
The newly-named Kipekee was born on July 31 to a reticulated giraffe mother. The species is native to Africa and has brown and orange spots — with the exception of the rare spotless giraffe. The zoo says experts believe she is the only solid-colored reticulated giraffe on the planet.
Brights Zoo director David Bright said in an email to CBS News that the last recorded spotless giraffe was in 1972 in Tokyo. That giraffe, named Toshiko, was born at Ueno Zoo, according to archival photos.
The Giraffe Conservation Foundation lists reticulated giraffes as endangered.
"The international coverage of our patternless baby giraffe has created a much-needed spotlight on giraffe conservation," Tony Bright, founder of Brights Zoo, said. "Wild populations are silently slipping into extinction, with 40% of the wild giraffe population lost in just the last 3 decades."
- In:
- Giraffe
Caitlin O'Kane is a digital content producer covering trending stories for CBS News and its good news brand, The Uplift.
veryGood! (3216)
Related
- Stop smartphone distractions by creating a focus mode: Video tutorial
- Remember Every Stunning Moment of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Wedding
- Can a president pardon himself?
- 3 children among 6 found dead in shooting at Tennessee house; suspect believed to be among the dead
- Trump announces Tom Homan, former director of immigration enforcement, will serve as ‘border czar’
- An Iowa Couple Is Dairy Farming For a Climate-Changed World. Can It Work?
- First Water Tests Show Worrying Signs From Cook Inlet Gas Leak
- Honduran president ends ban on emergency contraception, making it widely available
- Kentucky gets early signature win at Champions Classic against Duke | Opinion
- Can Obama’s Plan to Green the Nation’s Federal Buildings Deliver?
Ranking
- Judge hears case over Montana rule blocking trans residents from changing sex on birth certificate
- Ireland Baldwin Gives Birth, Welcomes First Baby With Musician RAC
- Exxon Loses Appeal to Keep Auditor Records Secret in Climate Fraud Investigation
- How to watch a rare 5-planet alignment this weekend
- Early Black Friday Deals: 70% Off Apple, Dyson, Tarte, Barefoot Dreams, Le Creuset & More + Free Shipping
- How XO, Kitty's Anna Cathcart Felt About That Special Coming Out Scene
- This is the period talk you should've gotten
- Natural Gas Leak in Cook Inlet Stopped, Effects on Marine Life Not Yet Known
Recommendation
-
Voters in Oakland oust Mayor Sheng Thao just 2 years into her term
-
This Week in Clean Economy: New Report Puts Solyndra Media Coverage in Spotlight
-
U.S. Spy Satellite Photos Show Himalayan Glacier Melt Accelerating
-
Auli’i Cravalho Reveals If She'll Return as Moana for Live-Action Remake
-
NBA today: Injuries pile up, Mavericks are on a skid, Nuggets return to form
-
In Alaska’s Cook Inlet, Another Apparent Hilcorp Natural Gas Leak
-
Opioids are devastating Cherokee families. The tribe has a $100 million plan to heal
-
Shoppers Love These Exercise Dresses for Working Out and Hanging Out: Lululemon, Amazon, Halara, and More