Giraffes Inherit Spot Patterns From Their Mamas, Study Says

The mottled spots giraffes are known for aren’t random, according to a new study that suggests that the patterns are inherited maternally — and that they may impact the chances of a calf surviving its first few months of life.

The roundness and smoothness of a giraffe’s spots are inherited through its mother, wildlife biology researchers reported in the academic journal PeerJ last week.

Giraffe coat markings are more complex and variable than the eye suggests: The researchers studied 11 spot attributes in total. The researchers did not document any mother-offspring similarity between the number of spots and their area and perimeter.