One of a Kind?

Whether to lump or split species is an ongoing debate among biologists. Recently, the giraffe came under review.

Long considered one species, giraffes may need to be divided into six or more. Although different populations can mate in captivity, DNA studies suggest they belong to separate species.1

While biologists debate what constitutes a species, the Bible alludes to a much broader category, called a “kind.” The biblical kind often includes many different species, but they still belong to the same family.

In fact, fossils indicate that the giraffes on Noah’s Ark produced a big variety of species as they spread over the earth. The only survivors are the modern giraffe and okapi. The minor differences among modern giraffes are puny compared to the differences among their fossil forbears.

New studies, such as the recent report on giraffes, remind us that the Creator placed incredible information within each created kind. Because these species can still interbreed, we know they came from the same parents in recent times, not millions of years ago.