Piebald Deer

I did not take this photo, but I think I have seen this deer. I have promised not to say where, however, on condition of the picture being sent to me by an alert reader. All I can say is that the photo was taken in Hancock County.

I’m not a biologist, but my understanding is that the state of being piebald is that it is a recessive genetic trait, rather than a curable condition. I am willing to be told otherwise by someone with more expertise than I have.

If you do a Google search for the term “piebald,” the term “piebald deer” appears pretty high in the autofill options. I have usually associated the splotchy white-&-brown skin and fur condition with horses, but based on what I’ve just seen on Google it can also affect snakes and dachshunds.

If you want to see more photos of piebald deer, this Tumblr account that I found online is probably as good a place to view them as any. If you have any photos of piebald deer, feel free to email them to me at btrotter@bangordailynews.com and I will try to post them here (within reason).

Bill Trotter

About Bill Trotter

A news reporter in coastal Maine for more than 20 years, Bill Trotter writes about how the Atlantic Ocean and the state's iconic coastline help to shape the lives of coastal Maine residents and visitors. He writes about fisheries, marine-related topics, eastern coastal Maine communities and more for the BDN. He lives in Ellsworth. Follow him on Twitter at @billtrotter.