Two incredibly rare white giraffes have been killed by poachers in Kenya, a spokesperson for the local conservancy has confirmed, leaving only one remaining in the world.
The Ishaqbini Hirola Community Conservancy said the country's only female white giraffe and her calf were found in a "skeletal state after being killed by armed poachers".
The giraffes gained global attention in 2017 when they were first captured on film. After the deaths, only one young male white giraffe remains at the Hirola Conservancy.
"This is a very sad day for the community of Ijara and Kenya as a whole," the conservancy's Mohammed Ahmednoor said.
"We are the only community in the world who are custodians of the white giraffe. Its killing is a blow to tremendous steps taken by the community to conserve rare and unique species, and a wake-up call for continued support to conservation efforts."
Experts believe the giraffes have a rare genetic mutation known as leucism, which causes a partial loss of pigmentation.
"This is a long-term loss given that genetics studies and research, which were significant investment into the area by researchers, has now gone down the drain," Mr Ahmednoor said.
"Further to this the white giraffe was a big boost to tourism in the area."
The African Wildlife Foundation estimates that 40 per cent of the overall giraffe population has been lost in the past 30 years.
