Giraffe babies inherit spot patterns from their mothers

Date:  October 2, 2018

Source:  Penn State

Some features of a giraffe's spot pattern are passed on from mother to baby, according to a new study led by researchers from Penn State. The study also reveals that survival of young giraffes is related to spot pattern, which may help provide camouflage from predators. The new study, published October 2 in the journal PeerJ, confirms a 49-year-old hypothesis about the inheritance of giraffe spots and highlights a new toolset that can be used to study the markings of wild animals.

"Giraffe spot patterns are complex and can be quite different among individuals, but we don't really know their purpose in the wild," said Derek E. Lee, associate research professor at Penn State and first author of the paper. "Complex markings can help animals evade predators, regulate their temperature, or recognize family or individuals, all of which can affect their ability to survive and reproduce. In this study, we analyzed survival records and photos of spots of Masai giraffes, and show that spot patterns do affect juvenile survival and are heritable -- they are passed from mom to baby."

Giraffe skin color is uniformly dark gray, but their spots are highly variable in color and shape, ranging from nearly round with very smooth edges to elliptical with jagged or lobed edges. Spot patterns do not change as an animal ages, which allows researchers to identify individuals based on their unique patterns.

This study revealed that newborn giraffes with larger spots and irregularly shaped spots also had increased survival during the first few months of life. This increased survival could reflect better camouflage of these young giraffes, but it also could be related to other survival-enhancing factors, such as temperature regulation or visual communication.

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