The White Red Deer

In most cases the coats of Red deer are as the name suggests – red, at least in the summer coat, the winter coat being a browny grey colour.

Occasionally within a Red deer herd there occurs a very pale, grey to almost white deer.

Heraldic images from centuries past provide evidence that this is not a recent phenomenon and the white hart is a prominent image in history.

So what is it that makes red deer occasionally give birth to white offspring?

Contrary to popular belief, almost all cases of white Red deer in the UK are not albino. Although there have been very occasional occurrences of true albino Red deer throughout the world, the occurrences of most white Reds in the UK are almost certainly the result of Leucism rather than Albinism.

What’s the difference?

The main visual difference between Albino and Leucistic is the eye colour. A characteristic of albinism is a total lack of pigmentation throughout the entire body, the eyes, nose and even the hooves are pink.

The Leucistic animal has normal eye, nose and hoof colour, and the coat can either be totally white, or grey or a subtle mixture of white and red hair, making the colour appear like a roan.

What causes Albinism?

Albinism is caused by an animal inheriting a defective gene, or genes, resulting in the animal’s cells being unable to produce the pigment called melanin, which gives the animal its colour.

Genes effectively contain the ‘blueprint’ that makes the animal individual. Research (documented by Walden) has proven that several defective genes are responsible for causing albinism.

Albinism occurs through the presence of a recessive gene, and although animals can in fact carry the defective gene, albinism may never occur.

However, when a Red deer stag and the hind he covers in the rut both carry the recessive gene, then it is believed there is a 25% chance that the hind’s calf will be albino.

What causes Leucism?

Leucistic Red deer possess a gene or group of genes that causes a condition where the skin is unable to support normal pigment cells.

Scientists have identified that in Leucism, there is a genetic defect in the skin itself, whereas in the albino it is a genetic defect within the actual pigment cells.

Experiments were carried out in which normal pigment-producing cells were implanted into the skin of an albino, and the cells still produced pigment in the albino skin.

A similar experiment was carried out where normal pigment cells were implanted into leucistic skin, but in this case the normal pigment cells died.

Heraldic images from centuries past provide evidence that this is not a recent phenomenon and the white hart is a prominent image in history.

So what is it that makes red deer occasionally give birth to white offspring?

Contrary to popular belief, almost all cases of white Red deer in the UK are not albino. Although there have been very occasional occurrences of true albino Red deer throughout the world, the occurrences of most white Reds in the UK are almost certainly the result of Leucism rather than Albinism.

What’s the difference?

The main visual difference between Albino and Leucistic is the eye colour. A characteristic of albinism is a total lack of pigmentation throughout the entire body, the eyes, nose and even the hooves are pink. 

The Leucistic animal has normal eye, nose and hoof colour, and the coat can either be totally white, or grey or a subtle mixture of white and red hair, making the colour appear like a roan.

What causes Albinism?

 Albinism is caused by an animal inheriting a defective gene, or genes, resulting in the animal’s cells being unable to produce the pigment called melanin, which gives the animal its colour.

Genes effectively contain the ‘blueprint’ that makes the animal individual. Research (documented by Walden) has proven that several defective genes are responsible for causing albinism.

Albinism occurs through the presence of a recessive gene, and although animals can in fact carry the defective gene, albinism may never occur.

However, when a Red deer stag and the hind he covers in the rut both carry the recessive gene, then it is believed there is a 25% chance that the hind’s calf will be albino.

What causes Leucism?

Leucistic Red deer possess a gene or group of genes that causes a condition where the skin is unable to support normal pigment cells.

Scientists have identified that in Leucism, there is a genetic defect in the skin itself, whereas in the albino it is a genetic defect within the actual pigment cells.

Experiments were carried out in which normal pigment-producing cells were implanted into the skin of an albino, and the cells still produced pigment in the albino skin.

A similar experiment was carried out where normal pigment cells were implanted into Leucistic skin, but in this case the normal pigment cells died.