Sighted by South Portland resident Tony Gedaro, the purple deer that has been making its rounds through wildlife biologists and the internet is believed to be something of an anomaly. In addition to the purple coloring that is seemingly spreading throughout the deer’s face and chest, the animal is marked with a number of bulbous growths.
As folks chimed in from across the country in an attempt to be the first to diagnose the rare condition, following review, many in the biology community remain stumped.
“We’ve seen somewhat similar conditions, but cases like this are rarely identical to others, and there are a lot of possibilities,” said Nathan Bieber, the deer biologist for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. “[It’s] impossible to know for sure without sending samples to a lab.”
With conditions such as ‘lumpy jaw’, often found in cattle and ‘bullwinkle deer’ being tabled by keyboard jockeys across the nation, the mystery remains in the purple coloring. While the physical growths do indicate similarities to the aforementioned, the animal’s coloring is what is really throwing off veterinary and wildlife professionals.
The deer is routinely seen in the area and residents report that the animal seems to otherwise be in good health. Unless the animal succumbs to its conditions or is shot by hunters, testing may never take place.
Images: Tony Gedaro
