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In a remarkable wildlife sighting, a breeding pair of exceptionally rare deer has been observed on Long Island, as recent reports highlight.
This unique duo, a buck and a doe, are piebald deer and were discovered in the Long Island Pine Barrens located in Suffolk County, according to Pix11.
Piebald deer are distinguished by their unusual genetic trait, which gives them a striking appearance of white patches interspersed with their typical brown fur. This condition is quite rare, occurring in only about 1% of the white-tailed deer population, as documented by the Southeast Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study.
Photographic evidence of at least one of these eye-catching deer, marked by its stark white coat and small dark spots, has been captured in a wooded backyard on eastern Long Island since December, according to Newsday.
Local resident Logan K shared his amazement with CBS New York earlier this month, stating, “I was actually shocked when I first saw it. It was pretty cool, actually, to know what it was.”
The mystical deer are born when two parents share the rare recessive piebald gene, according to experts.
The deer couple appears in good health and are expected to mate this spring, Pix11 reported.
Some states outlaw shooting piebald deer due to their rarity, and local Long Island experts warned the public to stay away from the creatures and avoid hunting them.