Incredibly Rare Piebald Deer Spotted in Florida

Photo by Ethan Lundberg

​The FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute shared a photo today of a piebald white-tailed deer that was recently encountered by a citizen while on a paddling trip in Florida.

While the location of the deer was not noted in the post, a commenter shared a separate video of the deer and implied they spotted it along Weeki Wachee River.

​According to the FWC post, piebaldism is a rare, recessive genetic trait that causes abnormal colorations, areas of white fur occur where the fur is normally brown, and occurs in less than 2% of deer. Because this is a recessive genetic trait, both parents must carry the gene for it to be passed onto their offspring.
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The abnormal coat coloration can range from a single small patch of white fur to covering much of the body, as seen here. Apart from color, there is not much difference between a piebald deer and a typical deer, but the genetic code for coat color can impact other traits, potentially giving piebald deer issues like “roman nose,” shortened lower jaw, curved backbone (scoliosis), and short/deformed legs.