EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — A white deer with patches of brown fur was spotted near the East Bay Bike Path.
Photos provided to 12 News show the deer with mostly white fur standing on the other side of a fence in East Providence.
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) told 12 News the deer appears to be a piebald deer.
“While not nearly as rare as albino deer, it’s a pretty cool sighting,” DEM spokesperson Evan LaCross said. “We have passed this observation along to our Division of Fish and Wildlife biologists.”
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According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine, piebaldism is a rare disorder caused by a mutation that can happen in “nearly every species of mammal,” including humans.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are an example of a dog breed with piebaldism.
A Cavalier King Charles Spaniel at the 147th Westminster Kennel Club Dog show on May 8, 2023 (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
A Piebald deer in East Providence (Photo provided by 12 News viewer)
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