It might be promiscuous to bury that diseases and condition can cause problems in the human race of wildlife just as they can in the human aesculapian arena . InKruger National Park , a Giraffa camelopardalis has been spotted that may be taint with a type ofpapillomavirus .
photograph by wildlife lensman Marius Nortje , the look-alike reveal that the brute is cover in pelt nodules , all over its head , neck , and body . The squad at Worldwide Vets divvy up the images on theirFacebook page .
“ This skin disease is make by a papillomavirus . There are many case of papillomavirus , each affecting their own species . However it is believed it is the cow fluctuation ( bovine papillomavirus , or BPV ) [ that ] is bear on these giraffe . The same computer virus also infects horse to cause ‘ sarcoids ’ , ” they wrote in the caption .
It is thought the disease is spread through direct contact.Image courtesy of Marius Nortje via Worldwide Vets
Essentially these infective disease that normally affect other specie , are find a direction to infect Giraffa camelopardalis .
The disease is not thought to be life - threatening , though there is no treatment in this finicky case . The computer virus is thought to spread via either direct contact between giraffes or viaoxpecker birds . These bird are known to remove ticks and otherparasitesfrom the skin of the giraffes , but may also unknowingly spread the disease between person .
This is not the first prison term a giraffe with these symptom has been visualise . Dr Gemma Camplingfrom Worldwide Vets told IFLScience , “ In 2007 in the same area , two camelopard showed the same lumps on their skin . With fear the disease may spread fast , they were humanely euthanized and samples sent for enquiry . desoxyribonucleic acid of bovid papillomavirus ( BPV ) was confirmed , which cause similar lumps in horses shout sarcoids . ”
“ In 2017 , a new species of papillomavirus was found in South African giraffes , this time one which unremarkably affects deer in America . fundamentally these infective disease that normally affect other specie , are incur a elbow room to infect giraffes . ”
At the current time there are no plans toeuthanizethis giraffe , which is being monitored closely by wildlife vets .
Elsewhere in South Africa in 2024 a giraffe was descry with an impressivelyzig - zagged neck . While the appearance of the neck was more than a little unusual , the Giraffa camelopardalis seemed to be suffering no ill - effect from the condition .
