| Photos of Albino Fawn | |
|
| |
| Analysis |
|
||
Comments: There's no compelling reason to doubt the authenticity of these photos, which have circulated online since June 2005, nor the claim that they depict a real albino fawn. Albino whitetail deer are indeed rare, but they do exist and have been photographed on other occasions. One trait associated with true albinism is pink-colored eyes, which are easily distinguishable in the specimen pictured here.
I have yet to find solid evidence confirming the rest of the story, however, including the three different locations named in various versions: Bolivar Peninsula, Texas; West Liberty, Kentucky; and Stanley, North Dakota.
The latter is easiest to disqualify, given that the sender whose signature appears at the bottom of this version has publicly denied authoring it. The variant also mentions Fossil Rim, a wildlife center located near Glen Rose, Texas, not in North Dakota.
Fossil Rim is referenced in the earliest copies of the message I received — even ones that otherwise specified no geographical location — so I'm inclined to think the incident must have occurred not far from there, if it occurred at all. Bolivar Peninsula, Texas, identified as the location in the most commonly forwarded variant, is within 350 miles of Fossil Rim.
Sources and further reading:
Bogus E-Tale Gives Stanley, N.D. Man Unwanted Attention
Grasnd Forks Herald, 5 February 2006Whitetail Abnormalities
Whitetail WorldAlbinism: Just Basic Genetics
Patriot-News, 28 November 2005
Last updated: 02/08/06
