Mutant deer has speckled fur

A rare genetic mutation makes white-tailed deer possess unusual spotted fur.

The video captures images of Boo, a special spotted fur , that attracts millions of views on social media, according to Earth Touch News. This deer is being cared for at the Fuzzy Fawn animal rescue organization, New York, USA.

Boo's strange fur is caused by a rare genetic mutation called leucism , leading to a melanoma. The albino animals lack the whole body melanoma, making them white and their eyes turning pink or red. Meanwhile, leucism does not cause total loss of pigment and their eyes are normal.

Picture 1 of Mutant deer has speckled fur
Boo's strange fur is caused by a rare mutation called leucism.

It is estimated that less than 2% of white-tailed deer suffer from leucism. Leondra Scherer, volunteer at the organization Fuzzy Fawnl, who took care of Boo, was surprised to see the animal.

Fuzzy Fawn took Boo to take care of him after his mother was hit by a car in July. At that time, the deer was only a week old and could not survive alone in the wild. Its hind legs are arched, a common condition in deer spotted leucism . The striking coat color can also make it easy to be attacked by hunters.

"Many spotted deer encounter conditions such as short nose, short or curved legs, hunchback, short lower jaw and other body problems," Scherer said.

After consulting veterinarians and some experts, Scherer decided to let the deer grow naturally without using splints. Although his legs were still shorter than usual, Boo's health improved very well. Experts hope that after continuing to be fully cared for, Boo can return to nature.