Wonky-Necked Giraffe Spotted In South Africa Is Somehow Still Alive

Sometimes in the animal world, genetics or circumstances throw something of a curveball. From dolphins with "thumbs" to whales with curved spines , these animals with slightly unusual morphology open up questions about survival and adaptations to different environments. That includes the latest addition to the gang: a giraffe with a wonky neck.

On a private game reserve in South Africa, close to the border of Zimbabwe, travel blogger Lynnqwinda Scott photographed two giraffes and shared the photographs on her Facebook page . While one giraffe behaved and looked totally like you would expect, the second giraffe had the very unusual appearance of a wonky zig-zag neck.

There are three main theories as to how the giraffe came to have a neck with such a pronounced difference.

One theory is that the giraffe was born with a genetic mutation that resulted in the neck issue. However, given the giraffe had never been observed before, this seems unlikely.

The second theory is the giraffe developed a condition known as torticollis or wryneck. This would suggest that it was born without the neck difference, but developed it as it grew.

"It is definitely a very twisted neck," Sara Ferguson, a veterinarian and conservation health coordinator at the non-governmental organization Giraffe Conservation Foundation, told LiveScience ." Without radiographs to prove the bone has been broken, we would refer to the giraffe as having severe torticollis.”

Back in the 1980s, a giraffe known as Gemina was born normally at the San Diego Wild Animal Park, but started to develop a kink in her neck in 1987 at Santa Barbara Zoo, explained the Independent .

Finally, there is the theory that the giraffe broke its neck in a fight with another giraffe. The sex of the animal is unknown, but male giraffes are known to engage in aggressive fights over females and territory in which they swing their necks into each other. Unsurprisingly, this behavior is known as necking.

In 2015, a giraffe was spotted in Tanzania in a similar situation, known to have broken its neck in a fight with another giraffe. Despite the severe injury, the giraffe survived at least five years after the incident.

“Fighting is extremely rare because it’s extremely violent,” Jessica Granweiler, a master’s student at the University of Manchester in England, told the New York Times .  However, the photos suggest that this individual is a young giraffe, and therefore not of breeding or fighting age.

While the circumstances surrounding this particular young giraffe remain a mystery, the animal seems to be surviving well for the moment.

If you can't get enough of more unusual-looking giraffes, check out this spotless giraffe calf .