The black giraffe: Melanism is a genetic disorder that affects an animals melanin making them appear a black color, it is the opposite of albinism. Melanism is more common in some animals than others, for example, the black panther is simply just a melanistic leopard/jaguar. With giraffes, being a melanistic adult is extremely rare, most of the time they will get killed off when they are a child, especially due to the lack of natural camouflage.

Melanistic animals are the complete opposite. They have high concentration of melanin in the skin. It is an inherited condition, due to a mutation of a part of a gene, called allele. Experts say melanism might be an adaptive mutation, black animals having a better chance of survival in hostile environments. For instance, they are more difficult to spot by a predator during the night.

At the same time, it enables some animals to hunt easier. One such example are black lepards, who can easily set an ambush under cover of the dark. Another theory is the mutation helps melanistic animals survive at high altitudes, as the black fur can absorb more heat. However, sometimes this excess of pigment can generate tumors in these animals.

There is another rare condition, called leucism, which means only a partial loss of pigmentation at skin level. Affected animals have patches of white or discolored fur or feathers. In some cases, a leucistic animal can be completely white. Yet, this does not make it an albino, as it still has normally colored eyes.

Melanin is not the only pigment in the skin. Carotenoid pigment, responsible for colors such as red yellow and orange, can also be present in various levels. Carotenism is not inherited, but rather a result of diet. Except for graffies, The best example are flamingos who owe their stunning pink color to the beta-carotene found in their usual food – shrimp and plancton. A flamingo in captivity who doesn't get its habitual food will turn white! Speaking of flamingos, three years ago a unique black flamingo was photographed in Cyprus. A similar bird had been previously spotted in Israel, but experts think it is the same flamingo seen in Cyprus. This example of melanistic flamingo is considered the only one of its kind in the world.

The White giraffe: When you think of a white animal, you usually think of albinism, which is true in most cases. But albinism affects all pigments in the body, meaning even the eyes turn pink. The white giraffe is in fact leucistic, which is similar to albinism, but means some pigments have retained their original color. Omo is leucistic, which means she still has pigment in her soft tissues, such as her eyes, but not her skin cells.

Staff at the Wild Nature Institute were happy to see Omo still thriving during a recent foray to the national park, located in the northeastern part of the country. "We were lucky enough to resight her again this January, almost exactly one year later. We are thrilled that she is still alive and well," the organization wrote on its blog. It's also soliciting votes for a new name, or to keep Omo as her moniker. Omo isn't albino; she has a genetic condition called leucism, says Derek Lee, founder of the institute. Her skin cells don't produce pigmentation, but soft tissues, such as her dark eyes, do.

Though uncommon, leucism occurs in many species, including penguins, eagles, and hippos. Omo has been especially lucky: More than half of all giraffe calves die before they're six months old, as they're often targets of lions, hyenas, and wild dogs, according to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation. Not to mention, Omo's obvious appearance could attract predators all the more, hampering her chances of survival.

Now, there is only 1 white giraffe left in the world, this is mainly due to poaching, as well as their struggle to fit in, in the wild. The pigment defect usually indicates other health problems such as skin cancer, weak immune system and more. See a very rare video of a white giraffe and her calf from 2 years ago: