Rare baby deer rejected at birth finds loving home on a farm
Rare baby deer rejected at birth has found a loving home on a Michigan farm – Source: Deer Tracks Junction
A rare baby deer called Dragon was rejected at birth. Thankfully, farm owner Hilary Powell gave the precious blue-eyed fellow a new chance at life.
Dragon was born with a rare condition commonly known as leucism, a genetic anomaly found in about one percent of all white-tail deer.
Leucistic deer are usually born with deformities, such as malformed spine and legs, which make it difficult for them to survive in the wild.
Some leucistic deer have white splotches, some are half brown and half white, and some nearly all-white.
Mixed brown and white deer like Dragon are commonly known as piebald deer.
Dragon only lacks pigment over part of his body, and – apart from his unusual appearance, he is as healthy as can be.
Source: Deer Tracks Junction
However, Dragon’s white fur would make him stand out to predators, in the wild.
Needless to say, his chances of survival in his natural habitat would be very slim.
Source: Deer Tracks Junction
After being cast off by his mother, Dragon found a loving home at Deer Tracks Junction, an animal farm in Cedar Springs, Michigan.
Hilary Powell – the farm’s owner and Dragon’s surrogate mother, took the little fellow under her wing, rescuing him from what he would have faced in the wild.
Source: Deer Tracks Junction
The rare baby deer was most likely abandoned because he was born with white fur, dazzling blue eyes and a pink nose.
“In the wild, they are very, very rare,” Powell said.
Source: Deer Tracks Junction
“Normally they have a black nose,” Powell added.
“A pink nose is actually a detriment in the wild, because if they don’t have shade, their nose is very sensitive to the sun and can get sunburn.”
