When a giraffe goes viral: Couple’s jaw-dropping Kruger encounter

Marius Nortje, a photographer with a keen eye for capturing the beauty of the South African bush, and his wife, Michelle, share a deep love for the outdoors.

Avid nature enthusiasts, the couple frequently visits the Kruger National Park. Little did they know what rare find would await them during their last visit in December.

Speaking to The Citizen on Friday, Marius’s voice pulsed excitedly as he talked about the park. “We go at least once a year, but sometimes as much as four times,” Marius said.

Marius and Michelle’s 40th-anniversary adventure

To celebrate their 40th anniversary in December, the couple didn’t want to be anywhere but the park. During this visit, they drove toward Lower Sabie rest camp to look for a pack of lions Marius wanted to capture.

“We couldn’t find them on the tar road and turned off on a gravel road when we first saw one and then two giraffes emerging from the bush. When the third of the herd became visible, we saw strange growths all over her body,” Marius told the story.

He immediately started taking pictures, which he later posted on his Facebook page. “People wondered if she was in pain. However, she was grazing peacefully, and it didn’t seem to bother her, although it appeared painful.”

He also tagged the South African National Parks (SANParks) in the post to make them aware of the giraffe cow’s condition. “I haven’t heard back from them yet,” Marius said.

Giraffe photos spark international attention

The pictures also caused an international stir when the animal welfare organisation WorldWide Vets published an article.

According to Dr Gemna Campling, founder and director of WorldWide Vets, the nodules hanging from the giraffe’s skin are caused by a papillomavirus. “There are many types of papillomavirus, each affecting a specific species. However, the cow variation (Bovine Papillomavirus or BPV) is believed to affect this giraffe.

Campling explained that the virus is spread through contact. “In this instance, it is assumed that oxpecker birds, landing on the giraffe and pecking at their naturally occurring parasites, spread the disease from one animal to the other. In this case, the whole herd is normal apart from this one animal, as was the case when this disease had been spotted previously.”

She said the disease is not life-threatening, but undoubtedly causes discomfort when the lumps become as advanced as in this case.

“Many cases of BPV are self-limiting and can heal with the animal recovering completely. There is no treatment for this disease in giraffes, and wildlife vets closely monitor the situation. Thankfully, this version cannot be passed on to people, although the Human Papilloma Virus occurs in humans.”

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