In a private reserve in South Africa, travel blogger Lynwinda Scott recorded the photo shows two giraffes, one of which had an unusual zigzag neck. This discovery caused a wave of interest and gave rise to several theories about the origin of this anomaly https://t4.com.ua.
Possible causes of distortion
- Genetic mutation. One of the hypotheses is a congenital genetic mutation that led to the neck deformity. However, given the lack of previous sightings of this giraffe, this theory seems unlikely.
- Wryneck. Another possibility is an acquired condition known as torticollis. This would mean that the giraffe was born with a normal neck, but it became crooked over time. Veterinarians consider this the most likely explanation, although it is impossible to confirm the diagnosis without an X-ray examination.
- Injury during a fight. A third theory suggests that the giraffe may have broken its neck during a fight with another male. Although such fights are rare due to their brutality, they do happen. However, given the young age of the giraffe, this theory is also questionable, as young individuals do not usually participate in such fights.
Survival despite the anomaly
Despite the unusual shape of the neck, the giraffe seems to live a normal life. This shows the amazing ability of animals to adapt to unusual circumstances. There are known cases of giraffes surviving even with broken necks, such as Jemina the giraffe at the Santa Barbara Zoo or a male in Tanzania who broke his neck during a fight.
The mystery remains
So far, the exact cause of this giraffe's neck anomaly remains a mystery. But this case reminds us of the amazing diversity and resilience of nature, and how little we still know about the animal world. We hope that further observations will help scientists solve this mystery and better understand the life of these majestic creatures.