Albino animals are characterised by a partial or complete loss of pigmentation. Their skin tone is much paler compared to other members of their species. Indian Forest Services (IFS) officer Akash Deep Badhawan shared a photograph of one such rare albino deer on Twitter. The rare mammal, spotted at the Katarniya Ghat Wildlife Sanctuary of Uttar Pradesh, generated buzz on social media. While some users found the rare creature fascinating, others worried about its safety.
The snap Badhawan shared showed an albino fawn moving through the grass with an adult female deer, possibly its mother. “Staying true to its tagline, Katarniaghat – Where rare is common, an albino spotted deer fawn was sighted this morning," he wrote. The photograph has garnered over 53,000 views so far.
People in the comments sections appreciated the beauty of the young deer. “Wow, so will have to plan soon to visit again to Katarniaghat- where rare is common,” wrote one. Another one simply wrote, “awesome".
Wow, So will have to plan soon to visit again to “Katarniaghat- Where rare is common”☺— nationalist (@vishnuprab) March 10, 2023
Awesome— Atul mishra (@drmishraatul44) March 9, 2023
Others, however, were concerned about the deer’s future. “It is a sitting duck for predators," one said. Another worried about poachers hunting the unique animal.
It is a sitting duck for predators.— Fersos Daruwala (@goldchest4) March 10, 2023
and now you have shown it to poachers— OMk Omkar Anavkar (@Omk4real_) March 11, 2023
IFS officer Parveen Kaswan resonated this view in a quote tweet. He said that “in nature exceptions are removed first. They are hard to adapt."
In nature exceptions are removed first. They are hard to adapt. https://t.co/Ttj1iIN747— Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) March 10, 2023
Albinism is mostly noticed in mammals. In this class of animals, it occurs when the offspring inherits, from both parents, mutated genes that interfere with the body’s production of melanin. Melanin is the main pigment that determines skin, fur, and eye colour.
Some cultures hail the birth of an albino animal as a sacred or auspicious sign. Yet, research suggests that these pigmentation-devoid creatures often have difficulty surviving in the wild.
Albino mammals often have poor eyesight. This is detrimental to them when hunting for food and avoiding danger. Sometimes, albinism creates obstacles in finding a mate. Albino wildlife are also more vulnerable to predators since they are unable to camouflage themselves.
But natural predators are not the only cause of worry. Poachers and trophy hunters also hunt these animals for their rarity. Albino deer are especially enticing for them.
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