Really hoping that it's just a reticulated-looking Baringo. According to news sources with their new Baringo giraffe calf it's said that they're, well, Baringo, but if that's a misinterpreted Reticulated then we'll be seeing Baringo-Retic hybrid giraffe calves born in the Bronx. Not good considering that we really don't need anymore hybrid animals born in AZA-accredited facilities.
Really hoping that it's just a reticulated-looking Baringo. According to news sources with their new Baringo giraffe calf it's said that they're, well, Baringo, but if that's a misinterpreted Reticulated then we'll be seeing Baringo-Retic hybrid giraffe calves born in the Bronx. Not good considering that we really don't need anymore hybrid animals born in AZA-accredited facilities.
All animals listed as Reticulated in the US are already BaringoXReticulated hybrids. It seems the two populations are now being managed as one as well which is really stupid to me as the two are now suspected to be separate species. Keeping and breeding hybrids of endangered species doesn't do anything for the conservation of the actual species.
The following is a summary of my understanding of the justification the Antelope & Giraffe TAG used when they decided to merge the populations into one.
1) a genetic study showed that a large portion of animals listed as pure retic or roth were in fact, hybrids.
2) the genetic diversity of roths was low to the point of unsustainability, merging the populations fixed this.
4) giraffes are not and have not been bred in US zoos with the goal of reintroduction into the wild, moving giraffes, particularly internationally is not easy. These animals instead serve as ambassadors for wild giraffes.
