Rothschild's giraffe creamier hue compared to that seen on the reticulated giraffe. In addition, Rothschild's giraffe displays no markings on the lower leg, giving it the impression of wearing white stockings. Another distinguishing feature of Rothschild's giraffe, although harder to spot, is the number of ossicones on the head. This is the only "Giraffa" phenotype to be born with five ossicones. Two of these are the larger and more obvious ones at the top of the head, which are common to all giraffes. The third ossicone can often be seen in the center of the giraffe's forehead, and the other two are
Reticulated giraffe Reticulated giraffe The reticulated giraffe ("Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata"), also known as the Somali giraffe, is a subspecies of giraffe native to the Horn of Africa. It lives in Somalia, southern Ethiopia, and northern Kenya. There are approximately 8,500 individuals living in the wild. The reticulated giraffe was described and given its binomial name by British zoologist William Edward de Winton in 1899, however the IUCN currently recognizes only one species of giraffe with nine subspecies. Reticulated giraffes can interbreed with other giraffe species in captivity or if they come into contact with populations of other species in the wild. Together