RUSSIA-ALBINO DEER Russian zoo boasts 'white baby-boom' after birth of rare albino deer

Record ID: 147567

  • Title: RUSSIA-ALBINO DEER Russian zoo boasts 'white baby-boom' after birth of rare albino deer
  • Date: 11th July 2015
  • Summary: YAROSLAVL, RUSSIA (RECENT - JULY 8, 2015) (REUTERS) ALBINO FAWN LICKING DEER DOE TWO WOMEN WITH BABIES LOOKING AT DEER IN ZOO ALBINO FAWN AND TWO OTHER FALLOW DEER IN ENCLOSURE CLOSE OF ALBINO FAWN WITH DEER VISITORS IN FRONT OF FENCE WOMAN TAKING PHOTOS VARIOUS OF ALBINO FAWN IN ENCLOSURE (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) HEAD OF HOOFED MAMMALS DEPARTMENT AT YAROSLAVL ZOO, NATALIA SO
  • Embargoed: 26th July 2015 13:00
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  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVABSRF9QCHZB0ZNJ9MMRU00SPHD
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: In the provincial Russian town of Yaroslavl, some 250 kilometres north of the capital Moscow, a local zoo is experiencing what its officials are calling a 'white baby-boom'.
    Just a month after an albino kangaroo made its first public appearance from its mother's pouch, gathering a crowd of amused visitors, zoo goers were delighted again with the sight of a newly born albino fawn.
    The three week old fawn, which belongs to the Fallow deer species, born with light fur stands in contrast to her protective parents who bear a chestnut coat with white mottles.
    Albino deer are very rare in nature, with American naturalist John Bates, writing it has an estimated frequency of one in 20,000. Partially albino deer are a little more frequent.
    The newly born fawn in Yaroslavl zoo does not completely white, with the fur all over its body appearing slightly beige.
    But Yaroslavl zoo's head of hoofed mammals department, Natalia Sokolova, says the new addition to their animal family is a "white miracle".
    "We have had the birth of this unusual baby. The whole time that I have worked at the zoo we have always had the same ginger sweethearts, but this year we have this white miracle," said Sokolova.
    Albinism is a hereditary condition that is caused by a lack of colouring pigments in the skin. In animals it can lead to a lack of pigmentation in the eyes, fur, scales or feathers.
    According to zoo keepers albino born animals would struggle to survive outside the zoo, because their albinism would make them more susceptible to sunburn, could also mean they have poor eyesight and more likely to catch the eye of other animals.
    But for this newly arrived fawn the lack of pigments has made her more attractive to visitors, who hope to suggest names to the zoo.
    "The colour, white, is very beautiful. I didn't know that there are albinos among animals too, I only knew of people. White colour is very beautiful for a fawn," said Ivan Nikolayev, a young boy visiting the zoo recently.
    "She is so small, so white. I would give her a short and beautiful name - maybe, Lui or Loa. So it would be a short beautiful name," said another visitor, Polina Sovetova.
    Yaroslavl zoo has surprised locals with its offering of albino animals. In June an albino kangaroo jumped out of his mother's pouch after a year of hiding.
    Deputy director Levan Baratashvili says the zoo has had a remarkable year and is experiencing a "boom of white babies".
    "This year is very remarkable for us, because we're experiencing not just a baby-boom, we're experiencing a boom of white babies. It all started with a white baby kangaroo, an albino, then white lion cubs were born and now - a birth of a white fawn - albino (that should be) ginger, a ginger fawn."
    Zoo officials says the majority of their animal have already given birth for this season, however some are still expecting. The next animal in line is a pregnant donkey and zoo keepers said they are growing excited with bets if they could welcome another albino baby to their fold.
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