This archive report was first published on 17 September 2019.
On 15 September, a unique discovery was made in the Maasai Mara Reserve, Kenya. A tour guide and photographer, Mr Antony Tira, came across a one-of-a-kind genetically mutated baby zebra at Matira bush camp.
The baby zebra, which was hardly a week old, had a rather amazing dark colour due to a genetic abnormality linked to the amount of melanin. It was weak and very different from the others, and was stuck close to a female adult zebra, probably its mother.
Mr Tira initially thought it was a zebra that had been captured and painted or marked for purposes of migration, but upon closer examination, he realised that what he was seeing was actually a zebra with melanin disorder.
"At first I thought it was a zebra that had been captured and painted or marked for purposes of migration. I was confused when I first saw it," Mr Tira said, as reported by Daily Nation.
The discovery immediately caused a stir and triggered a stampede in the reserve, with tour drivers and photographers hurriedly taking tourists to the lookout area in the game reserve near the Mara River for the rare find.
