White Christmas: These fallow bucks were snapped as they roamed through the New Forest




It's all white, deer: The dazzling bucks making a perfect seasonal picture

26th December 2008

Seeing one would be lucky. Seeing two might make you regret that extra Christmas cognac.

But amateur photographer and wildlife enthusiast Stan Kemish, 73, knew exactly what he had found when he spotted these two white deer at the Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary in the New Forest.

'I was really lucky to get this photograph - it was purely by chance that I came across them,' he said. 'They had been spooked by the sound of a dog barking in the distance and they had raised their heads in such a majestic way.'

'The white deer are such remarkable creatures,' said Mr Kemish. 'It's so spectacular to see them.'

The pale pair are not as rare as they may seem.

They belong to a group of around 20 white fallow deer that roam the forest in Hampshire. Despite their snowy white fur they are not albinos as they don't have the characteristic pink eyes. Instead, their colour is thought to be a genetic quirk.

However they might not being Christmas cheer to their fellow fallows - these deers are known as Judas deers as their pale colouring stands out among the herd and makes them visible to poachers.

Mr Kemish believes the bucks are two of a group of around 20 white fallow deer that roam the forest.

Mr Kernish said: 'It's a common misconception that the deer are albino.

'If this were the case they would have pink eyes and pink feet but this isn't the case with these deer.'






Article: HERE