Piebald White-tailed Deer - Odocoileus virginianus

Piebald deer have varying amounts of white hair. Less than 2% of deer are piebald and the condition comes with disadvantages: White deer are more visible to predators and may have other physical abnormalities like shortened legs and deformed jaws.

comments (4)

Ferdy Christant

Lion

Is piebald a type of albinism? Posted one year ago
1. Christine Young
  
  Lion
  
  No, they are unrelated. Piebaldism is a form of leucism (partial loss of pigmentation). Leucistic animals can have isolated patches of white or be almost completely white. Piebaldism is specifically caused by the absence of mature melanocytes (cells that make melanin) in areas of the skin and hair. Albinism is the complete lack of pigment, so the animal is completely white and often has pink eyes. Posted one year ago
2. 1. Ferdy Christant
    
    Lion
    
    Clear, thanks for explaining! Posted one year ago
  2. 1. Christine Young
      
      Lion
      
      No problem! Posted one year ago

The White-tailed Deer

The white-tailed deer, also known commonly as the whitetail and the Virginia deer, is a medium-sized species of deer native to North America, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru and Bolivia, where it predominately inhabits high mountain terrains of the Andes.

Info 130 1

Similar species: Even-toed Ungulates

Species identified by Christine Young