Giraffe’s Rare Viral Disease Leaves Staggering Skin Lesions in Heartbreaking Photographs

Heartbreaking Photos Reveal Giraffe Battling Rare Viral Disease
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[Image 1: Giraffe with lesions in Kruger National Park. Caption: "A giraffe in South Africa’s Kruger National Park exhibits hundreds of skin lesions caused by bovine papillomavirus (BVP)."]

A giraffe in South Africa’s Kruger National Park has been photographed covered in painful, bumpy lesions caused by a rare viral infection. Wildlife photographer Marius Nortje captured the distressing images, which show the animal’s thickened, ulcerated skin—a result of bovine papillomavirus (BVP), a disease typically affecting cattle and deer.

The Science Behind the Sores

Gemma Campling, a veterinarian and CEO of Worldwide Vets, explains that BVP causes skin plaques that rupture into open wounds. While not immediately life-threatening, severe cases can hinder movement or lead to secondary infections. Fortunately, this giraffe’s ability to eat and see remains intact, suggesting it may live a normal lifespan.

[Image 2: Close-up of lesions. Caption: "The thickened skin plaques caused by BVP can crack, creating ulcerated scabs."]

A Virus That Crossed Species

BVP belongs to the same family as human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes genital warts. However, this ma