The Blue Giraffe mystery extends far deeper. Together with Mtengeni he observes not just the animal in question but another giraffe with a goat-like beard, only six feet long, a green hippopotamus with pink spots, and a two-headed rhinoceros. Other creatures are so mutated their very survival is threatened, and Mtengeni is concerned about the long-term prospects of the animal population. Establishing camp in the bush, the two are separated when the warden goes out into the night for firewood and Cuff, hearing what he takes for a native woman's scream from another direction, heads off to investigate. He finds the woman, treed
Giraffe before "Giraffokeryx". "Samotherium" was a particularly important transitional fossil in the giraffe lineage as its cervical vertebrae was intermediate in length and structure between a modern giraffe and an okapi, and was more vertical than the okapi's. "Bohlinia", which first appeared in southeastern Europe and lived 9–7 mya was likely a direct ancestor of the giraffe. "Bohlinia" closely resembled modern giraffes, having a long neck and legs and similar ossicones and dentition. "Bohlinia" entered China and northern India in response to climate change. From there, the genus "Giraffa" evolved and, around 7 mya, entered Africa. Further climate changes caused the