{"id":230332,"date":"2025-10-21T22:01:10","date_gmt":"2025-10-21T22:01:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/230332\/"},"modified":"2025-10-21T22:01:10","modified_gmt":"2025-10-21T22:01:10","slug":"wildlife-photographer-scratches-head-when-he-sees-strange-white-animal-in-marsh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/230332\/","title":{"rendered":"Wildlife Photographer Scratches Head When He Sees Strange White Animal In Marsh"},"content":{"rendered":"

The other day, wildlife photographer Dennis Jackson went out on a fishing excursion with a friend in Ontario, Canada. As he and his friend sat in their boat, they noticed something unusual in the water.<\/p>\n

\u201cI look across the bay and I see something white swimming in the water,\u201d Jackson told The Dodo. \u201cAnd I\u2019m like, \u2018What the heck is that?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Jackson went through a mental checklist of who the white animal could be. It was too small to be a swan and didn\u2019t look like a seagull. As he and his friend approached the mysterious creature, they realized something shocking. It was a beaver \u2026 with white fur.<\/p>\n

Instagram \/ @dennisharveyjackson<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had shivers run down our spine, because it\u2019s just something that you don\u2019t ever think you\u2019re going to see,\u201d Jackson said.<\/p>\n

Although Jackson is a wildlife photographer, he hadn\u2019t packed his cameras for his fishing trip, but he managed to take a few photos with his phone.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt swam toward us, and then it swam the other direction, and it was just all around,\u201d Jackson said. \u201cWe were just excited.\u201d<\/p>\n

After a little while, the white beaver disappeared. Jackson resolved to return to the area with his photography gear to try to document the animal he\u2019d seen.<\/p>\n

Luckily, when Jackson returned, the white beaver was still there. He quickly captured some photos and videos of the animal swimming around. Jackson noted that the beaver\u2019s unusual coloring did not seem to affect how the animal behaved or how they were treated by other beavers.<\/p>\n

Instagram \/ @dennisharveyjackson<\/p>\n

Jackson wasn\u2019t sure whether the beaver was albino or leucistic, a different genetic condition which indicates a partial loss of pigmentation. Jackson consulted with Canadian naturalist Michael Runtz, who concluded that the beaver is leucistic due to his dark eyes and feet.<\/p>\n

\u201c[Runtz] said \u2026 in all of his years [being] a professor at Carleton University, he\u2019s never seen a white animal that large,\u201d Jackson said.<\/p>\n

Instagram \/ @dennisharveyjackson<\/p>\n

Hearing that even a wildlife expert like Runtz was amazed by the beaver made Jackson feel even more lucky to have seen such a special animal. Jackson has been careful to keep the beaver safe by not sharing the marsh\u2019s location with the public.<\/p>\n

In Ontario, where Jackson lives, he sees beavers all the time. But getting to witness such a unique-looking beaver has given him a renewed appreciation for the ubiquitous animals.<\/p>\n

Instagram \/ @dennisharveyjackson<\/p>\n

\u201cIt kind of inspired me to be more curious,\u201d Jackson said.<\/p>\n

To keep up with Jackson, you can follow him on Instagram<\/a> or Facebook<\/a>.\"Bird-Watchers<\/a>Bird-Watchers ‘Cheer’ When They Spot Critically Endangered Bird 3,000 Miles From HomeIt’s the first time one was spotted in the U.S. \ud83d\ude2e<\/a>