Albino Whitetail DeerAlthough an albino Whitetail deer is completely white, there has to be a few other characteristics before it is truly classified as an albino, rather than just a white deer.
Albinism is a total absence of pigmentation that not only causes their fur to be white, but also their eyes and nose to be pink, along with light greyish colored hooves. An albino can occasionally have pale blue eyes rather than pink. The appearance of their pink eyes is caused by flowing blood showing underneath their pale skin. They do not see as well because of sensitivity to sunlight. Their poor eyesight combined with their noticeable coloring makes them very easy prey. Some albinos also have poor hearing, and deformed legs, but they do not seem to have as many defects as the piebald Whitetail has. Albinism is caused by a recessive gene, that both parents must have. To produce an albinistic Whitetail fawn, both parents must either be albinos themselves, or carry this gene. If they both carry the gene, then the odds of throwing an albino fawn would be a 1 in 4 chance. 1 in 30,000 are true Whitetail albinos. Some states do protect them and do not allow the harvesting of them. There are white deer that appear to be albinistic, but they have brown eyes, a brownish-black nose and black hooves and are not truly an albino Whitetail. This is actually a result of leucism, occasionally spelled leukism, and is a condition in which there is a reduction of pigmentation, but leucistic animals have normally colored eyes.
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