Unique island wildlife lost
Albino deer on island killed
Dear Editor:
There was a photo and news article awhile back in the Stanwood/Camano (NEWS) about the sighting of a rare white deer on Camano Island. My husband and I live deep in the forest on Camano and are frequently visited by deer. I many times thought of that ‘Ghost of the Forest’ hoping for a glimpse but did not want my first sight of him as being broken and shattered lying dead on the side of the road.
Camano’s elusive white male deer was killed near the Camano Island Senior Thrift Store on Nov. 8. My husband and I stopped to look at him on the side of the road. From the brief exam we gave him it was obvious that he had a very difficult time surviving in recent weeks.
He had brown eyes as pink eyes in albino deer are not always common, and both horns snapped off from a previous accident. He had fresh scabbing of long leg wounds from a bad fall or a previously hit by a car.
Native American legend and practice holds that white animals, such as deer and buffalo, are sacred, and therefore should be protected. There is a 1 in 200,000 chance of a white deer being born. The albino gene must be present in both the male and the female to have a white fawn.
I don’t know if I will again see a white deer in my lifetime. I understand that white or albino deer are genetic accidents and there is no biological guarantee they will cease to exist if harvested, the white deer should be saved and treasured (as) a part of (the natural world) that has value way beyond any venison roast, hide or mount.
Wisconsin is one state that has laws that protect the white deer. Predation on white (albino) animals is almost twice as high as normally colored animals.
I believe Washington should also put laws into place to protect the albino deer and let these beautiful creatures live and thrive in the area so that future generations may experience a sighting of “The Ghost of the Forest” in their lifetime.
Caroline Stuart Camano Island
