Aug 6, 2024 By Karen Mansfield 2 min read

Karen Mansfield/Observer-Reporter

What is believed to be a rare albino deer has been captured on camera roaming in North Strabane Township.

A rare white deer has been spotted in North Strabane Township.

The fawn is believed to be an albino deer, which is exceedingly rare. An albino deer lacks pigment throughout its body and has pink eyes, a pink nose and white hooves, said Andy Harvey, information and education supervisor for the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

“In an albino deer, there is a complete lack of pigment. It’s very rare, but we do have them all over the state,” said Harvey. “They do attract attention because they’re pretty rare.”

The deer, accompanied by an adult brown deer, has made several appearances in yards and fields in the township for at least the past two weeks.

People sometimes mistake piebald deer for albino deer, but there are key differences. Piebald deer can have traces of brown in their fur, and they still have the brown eyes and black hooves of a classic white-tailed deer.

Albino deer are more sensitive to sunlight and often have poor vision, Harvey said. They tend to have a shorter life span because their white coat stands out in the wild and have no camouflage protection, like their counterparts.

By some estimates, the chances of an albino deer being born are 1 in 30,000.

Harvey noted albinism occurs throughout the animal kingdom, noting albinos are found in other species as well.

Last year, an albino raccoon was rescued in Somerset County, he said.