An incredibly rare albino deer has been sighted in a nature reserve in south-western China.
The small-sized creature, covered from head to toe in white fur has reportedly been spotted at about 6,000 feet up on a mountain at the Yintiaoling National Nature Reserve near the city of Chongqing once in July and again in August.
Surveillance footage shows the deer slowly moving among a forest and cautiously sniffing around.
Another piece of footage shows the fur on the buck’s legs and head have turned slightly brownish but it still presents a striking contrast to the other regular, dark-coloured deer seen standing next to it.
The reserve’s management said that this is the first recording of an albino tufted deer since they began using infrared cameras to monitor wildlife in 2015.
It is also the first documented sighting in Chongqing.
Cheng Dazhi, the Head of Conservation and Management Division at the Yintiaoling National Nature Reserve, explained that the tufted deer is a nationally second-class protected wildlife species.
Their winter coat is typically black, and their summer coat is dark-brown.
Cheng explained that this albino is likely a result of genetic mutation, preventing it from synthesising normal colours.
The tufted deer (Elaphodus cephalophus) is a small species of deer that gets its name from a characteristic tuft of dark hair on its forehead.
It is mainly found living across China, with some old reports also noting sightings in northeastern Myanmar.
It has been listed as ‘near threatened’ on the ICUN Red List due to overhunting and loss of habitat.
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Story By: Simona Kitanovska, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency: Asia Wire Report
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