Lucas Brandt, a wildlife photographer, hoped to see some very unique sights during his third visit at in South Africa's Kruger National Park; this could be a rare view of a black panther running by or a moving lion pride. Nevertheless, he came across something different but very interesting a single giraffe that was about to make him have a new outlook on the environment.
It was early morning. The mist was hanging just above the plains while the sky was filled with thousands of chirping birds. Lucas sat at the back of the Jeep silently with his camera and beside him is Daniel their local guide driving slowly. They had followed up on some giraffes that were spotted near the water point before nightfall.
I thought I will not see anything special, I just wanted to take my chance with that perfect snap under the gorgeous morning sun.
But then they saw her.
She was different from the others taller, more slender, and she held an uncommonly elegant pose. Her coat appeared more whitish than ordinary, with some hardly noticeable sandy spots here and there. While the other giraffes continued moving, she stayed behind, gazing at the car with curiosity that seemed to say “What are you doing here?”
"I pointed my camera and stood motionless, She looked very amazing – not from this world. It was my first time to see such kind of giraffe." - said Lucas
For close to forty minutes, Lucas photographed the giraffe from a safe distance away from it. He became even more interested after every shot he took. Although it wasn’t only because of its pale skin – which was remarkable in itself – it seemed like she was expecting something as she stood there motionless like that.
Afterwards, when they were back at the main camp, Lucas displayed his pictures to Daniel expecting admiration. However, Daniel’s faced changed almost immediately upon seeing them.
"That is no ordinary giraffe, It’s the leucistic female, one of the few remaining ones." Responded Daniel with a tensed voice tone.
A Rare Condition and a Rare Target
The leucistic female giraffe captured by Lucas suffered from a rare genetic anomaly known as leucism which causes partial depigmentation. Unlike albinos, creatures suffering from leucism still retain pigments in their eyes and skin but appear much paler due to their fur colouration.
In nature leucism can pose certain threats especially when animals are in the wild. Although it may appear eye-catching to humans, in reality such kind of animals become an easy target for predators and illegal hunters because of their odd color that does not blend with natural background as well as tendency to stay alone away from others in most cases.
As per what Daniel explained, this specific giraffe had been witnessed just a few times over a span of two years. Conservationists had kept close tabs on her without anyone noticing because they were afraid that she might be in danger if people knew about her.
“Not only lions are a threat to her; humans are too. Poachers. Trophy hunters. Some individuals can even travel for miles with the sole purpose of taking away life or capturing images.”
Lucas could feel his earlier happiness turning into sadness, as he was left dumbfounded by what he had just heard. "I went from feeling like I had captured something magical to feeling like I had exposed a secret I didn’t deserve to find" Lucas added
Beauty, Fragility and the Human Eye
On getting back to Europe and going through the pictures, Lucas could not make up his mind. They were probably the most beautiful photographs he had ever taken – amazing play of light, peace, and movement. However, he was not sure if it would be right to publish them.
Finally, he made up his mind to post just one photo wherein he had made careful editing so that the exact position of giraffe remained concealed along with a sincere write-up narrating the event and expressing his feelings.
A Moment To Remember
It was an experience that had changed Lucas profoundly and this change would stay with him for a very long time. Although he still engages in photography, his mission now differs from what it used to be.
“I used to chase the extraordinary,” he said. “Now I chase what matters.”
He expects that by narrating about the pale giraffe people will remember not only how beautiful nature is but also how delicate it can be and what part do we play in it.
As for the giraffe herself, her destiny is uncertain, which might actually be a good thing. In a world where being seen is often considered important, maybe she can only survive by remaining invisible.