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Giraffes May Be Six Separate Species

Posted by kdawson on from the neck-and-neck dept.

The BBC reports on research, published in BMC Biology, pointing to the possibility that there may be at least six species of giraffe in Africa. Quoting: "'Using molecular techniques we found that giraffes can be classified into six groups that are reproductively isolated and not interbreeding,' David Brown, the lead author of the study and a geneticist at... UCLA told BBC News. 'The results were a surprise because although the giraffes look different, if you put them in zoos, they breed freely.'"

6 of 239 comments (clear)

  1. Same thing with people... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Even though we all look different (eg: skin colour, height, "width", etc), if you put us in zoos, we will breed freely also

    1. Re:Same thing with people... by Beached · · Score: 5, Funny

      Yah, it's called College

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      ---- aut viam inveniam aut faciam
    2. Re:Same thing with people... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Yeah, its also called low income housing...

  2. Re:Breeding? by djupedal · · Score: 4, Funny
    "wouldn't it be better to say 6 subspecies of giraffe?"

    You mean, like:
    • giraffa
    • giraffb
    • giraffc
    • giraffd
    • giraffe
    • girafff
    ?
  3. in that case ... by ThirdPrize · · Score: 5, Funny

    the people of texas are a completely different species to the ones in New York and California.

    --
    I have excellent Karma and I am not afraid to Troll it.
  4. Glen Quagmire.... by mikerubin · · Score: 4, Funny

    Good Morning Baby..... ... ...
    Hey wait a minute, you're not the same giraffe from last night !

    --
    I sat down to write a new sig tonight and all I did was make the chair warm.