Photographer Helen Olive first noticed the giraffe and at first mistook it for part of the landscape. “It looked like a tree until it moved,” she recalled, describing the surreal moment. Her photos quickly went viral, sparking curiosity and concern across social media. Despite its strange look, the giraffe appeared to be moving and feeding like any other.

Papillomavirus affects many animals—like humans, cattle, and rabbits—but each type is species-specific and not spread between them. South Africa’s giraffe numbers have grown to over 30,000, a hopeful sign for conservation. Still, cases like this reveal hidden threats in the wild. Nature often masks its hardships beneath a surface of beauty.