A glimpse of a rare piebald elk near Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado has wildlife enthusiasts in awe. Piebaldism is a genetic condition in which animals have patches of fur or skin that lack pigmentation, often appearing white. In this case, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) spotted an elk with a mostly-white face and patches of white fur along its body.
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“This piebald female (cow) elk in Estes Park has been catching attention for a bit and for good reason,” wrote CPW in a Facebook post sharing several photos of the animal. “This rare genetic trait occurs in about 1 out of every 100,000 elk and causes a mostly white coat of hair with some patches of brown. If you’re lucky enough to catch a glimpse of her, remember to give her lots of space!”
You can easily tell an animal with piebaldism from an albino animal by looking at its eyes. Albino animals have all-white fur and red eyes. Piebald animals, on the other hand, typically have the same color eyes as animals of the same species without this genetic condition.
See the rare piebald elk in Colorado (photos by CPW/Wayne D. Lewis):
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