Antony Tira, a Kenyan safari guide, first saw the animal on September 15 in the Masai Mara National Reserve. Because he was the first to notice the unusual animal, the guide named the foal Tira after him. Unlike a typical zebra, the newborn zebra is brown with dot patterns and has a hairless tail.
According to experts, the uncommon newborn zebra has melanism. Melanism, unlike albinism, is from the dark pigmentation of the skin. Although the young zebra is adorable, its unusual condition may risk its survival because the herd rejects those that stand out.
While this is the first recorded case in the Masai Mara, a wildlife photographer in 2012 saw a zebra with larger spots on its back. The animal only lived for six months.
“Last night, a Maasai guide discovered an unusual baby zebra in the Maasai Mara and called it Tira.” “We were among the first to arrive in Tira this morning!” wrote wildlife photographer Frank Liu on Facebook. “A similar incident happened years before, but the zebra kept its stripes and brush-like tail. Tira, on the other hand, has polka dot patterns! I hope the experts look into this situation and report back shortly!”
It’s not the first time a strange animal has been discovered in Africa’s savanna. Last year, experts saw two white giraffes in Garissa county’s Ishaqbini Hirola Conservancy. In South Africa’s Kruger National Park, an albino newborn elephant was photographed.
