Rare Albino Deer Caught On Camera

Massimo Del Din and his daughter Deborah, were trekking in the woods in Belluno in the Italian Alps, when they came across a breathtaking sight - An Albino fawn, hanging out with its tan colored mother!

Fortunately for them, they were carrying a camera, and were able to get a couple of amazing pictures just as the baby deer, looked directly into the camera lens, to see where the rustling was coming from. The mother and baby soon scampered off!

Estimated to be about eight months old, the beautiful fawn has been nicknamed 'Bambi' and declared off limits to deer hunters who frequent the forests. Since killing albino deer is considered a bad omen in Italy, officials believe that hunters are more than likely to obey the ban.

However, Bambi may not be so lucky in its own world. Thanks to its startlingly white color, the fawn will make an easy target for natural predators, once the snow melts. Also, its white skin makes it more vulnerable to the harsh summer sun.

Experts estimate that only 1 in 30,000 deer suffer from albinism, a condition that is caused when the gene responsible for the coloration of skin, hair and tissue, is missing. Albino animals often have reddish-pink eyes, caused by the blood vessels that can be seen through their colorless iris. We sure hope Bambi survives, and grows to be a beautiful white adult deer.

sources: dailymail.co.uk, buckmanager.com