Biologists surveying Uganda’s Murchison Falls National Park 2015 came across something peculiar, an adult Nubian Giraffe with unique features.... He had the typical long but with short, stocky legs. The giraffe, named Gimli, only reached a height of 9 feet, 4 inches tall—several feet shorter than the average adult, which grows to about 16 feet. Puzzled scientists weren't sure what they were looking at until they met Nigel.
Biologists spotted the 8.5-foot-tall, Angolan giraffe on a private farm in Namibia. Using measurements and details from Nigel's caretaker, the team came to the conclusion that dwarfism was the most likely explanation for his different body sizes and proportions. And by default Gimli's too.
This is the first time that dwarfism has been documented in captive or wild giraffes. Biologists will watch Gimli and Nigel, studying the impacts of their dwarfism has on their behavior and social status.