Spotty zebra spotted! Newborn foal with rare polka dot markings is seen in Kenya
- Photographer Antony Tira observed rare black dotted zebra at Maasai Mara park
- He initially thought the newborn foal had been marked for ‘migration purposes’
- On closer inspection, Tira discovered zebra’s markings due to melanin disorder
A newborn zebra foal with unusual polka dot markings has been photographed in Kenya – the first of its kind to be seen in the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Antony Tira, a tour guide and photographer at Matira Bush Camp, spotted the black dotted foal while observing the park’s game reserve near the Mara River.
He told the Daily Nation he initially thought the newborn zebra had been captured and marked ‘for the purposes of migration’.
Antony Tira, a tour guide and photographer at Matira Bush Camp, spotted the black dotted foal (pictured) while observing the game reserve near the Mara River in Kenya
But, on closer inspection, the photographer realised the young foal – which remained close to its mother – had a melanin disorder.
‘At first I thought it was a zebra that had been captured and painted or marked for purposes of migration. I was confused when I first saw it’, he said.
Melanism – the opposite of albinism – is caused by a build-up of dark pigmented melanin in the skin.
The photographer said he initially thought the newborn zebra had been captured and marked ‘for the purposes of migration’
But, on closer inspection, Mr Tira realised the young foal – which remained close to its mother – had a melanin disorder
A melanistic zebra is one whose stripes haven’t developed properly, the Star reported, and instead has a pattern of small stripes and spots across its skin.
Photographs of the rare foal captured the newborn’s dotted markings across its neck and chest. The zebra also has an entirely black back and thin white stripes on its legs.
It was reported that a ‘stampede’ was caused in the Maasai Mara National Reserve by the discovery as tourists and guides rushed to the park to observe the rare zebra.
Parmale Lemein, a wildlife specialist at Matira Camp, told the Daily Nation there has never been any recorded case in the Maasai Mara of a zebra with such rare markings.
He said melanistic zebras had, however, been spotted at other parks in Africa – none of which had survived six months.
The photographs were also shared by well-known blogger Mutuma Untamed, who said the ‘week old’ foal had been named after the photographer who discovered it.
On Facebook, he wrote: ‘Did you know, last week a Maasai guide discovered a one of a kind hybrid baby zebra in the Maasai Mara. It is named after his surname – Tira.
‘A few years ago there was a similar case, however that zebra still maintained the stripes and brush-like tail.
‘Rare Tira, however has patterns that appear as polka dots.’