Indiana Wildlife Rehabilitator Shares Photos of Rare Albino Fawn

Over the weekend, I came across a series of photos online from a woman I have never met, but whose work I am very familiar with. Her name is Christine Bush, and she is a wildlife rehabilitator registered with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

An Unexpected Discovery in an Indiana Field

In a social media post, Christine shared a beautiful fawn that came into her care after it was run over by a large, tractor-style mower in a nearby Indiana field. At first, it was believed the fawn had suffered a broken leg.

What Makes This Fawn So Rare

Despite years of work as a wildlife rehabilitator, the fawn is unlike anything Christine has ever encountered before. It appears to be a white-tail deer, but instead of the usual warm, chestnut brown coat mottled with around 300 white spots, this fawn has a coat that is white and beige.

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In addition to its fair-colored coat, the fawn also has red eyes, which are a hallmark of an albino animal. It also has a pink nose and pink hooves, indicating a lack of the melanin typically found in the species.

Leucism Versus Albinism in Deer Explained

The combination of red eyes, pink nose, and pink hooves rules out other genetic anomalies like leucism, where a deer may have white spots on an otherwise normal coat, or even an all white coat, but lacks red eyes. Typically, a leucistic deer will have brown, or even sometimes blue eyes, and its nose will be black, according to WorldDeer.org.

READ MORE: How You Can Help Indiana DNR Track Wildlife Near Hoosier Waterways

How Rare Are Albino Deer Really

Of course, it all comes down to genetics. While leucistic deer are rare, occurring in between 1 and 2 percent of the deer population, an albino deer is even rarer. There is only a 1 in 30,000 chance of a deer being born albino.

Other Rare Coat Color Variations Found in White-Tail Deer

Albinism and leucism are not the only genetic anomalies when it comes to deer and coat color. Other gene expressions that can be seen in white-tail deer also include piebald, which often has large spots of white fur with no pigment in the underlying skin. Perhaps the rarest is the melanistic deer, which occurs when there is an overproduction of melanin. These deer have dark or black fur and are believed to occur in approximately 1 in every 500,000 deer, according to the National Deer Association.

READ MORE: Rare Piebald Squirrel Rescued By Indiana Animal Sanctuary

The Hidden Challenges Albino Deer Face in the Wild

Unfortunately, the fawn Christine is caring for is at a greater risk of a shortened life expectancy because of its condition. It will likely suffer from light sensitivity and poor depth perception. This, paired with its white coat making it more difficult to camouflage in its surroundings, can make the fawn more vulnerable to predators. It can also be more likely to experience sunburn and UV damage to its skin because of the lack of melanin. Because of these risks, Christine hopes to find a sanctuary in Indiana that can take in the fawn.

What To Do If You Encounter Injured Wildlife in Indiana

In Indiana, it's not uncommon to encounter an injured or orphaned animal. However, according to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, it is against the law to possess a wild animal without a proper permit in the Hoosier State. That's why people like Christine are so important. If you encounter wildlife in need, you can find the list of rehabilitators permitted by the State of Indiana by visiting Indiana DNR online.