Spotless giraffe, thought to be only one in world, born at Tennessee zoo

Brights zoo hopes publicity around unnamed female, who lacks distinctive patches, will draw attention to plight of giraffes in wild

One of the rarest sights in the animal kingdom has appeared in the unlikely setting of a Tennessee zoo, which has hosted the birth of what is thought to be the world's only singularly colored giraffe.

The female giraffe, born on 31 July, is a uniform brown color, lacking the distinctive patched pattern that giraffes - along with their exceptionally long necks - are known for. Brights zoo said the giraffe is already 6ft tall and is under the care of her mother and zoo staff.