Rare Black Deer Stuns Forest Patrol in West Bengal

A rare black deer was recently photographed in the Dowhill forest of West Bengal's Kurseong Range. The unusual sighting occurred during a routine patrol by the Divisional Forest Officer, who captured the animal on camera. Forest authorities have stated that this dark coat is most likely the result of a genetic mutation, a condition known as melanism, rather than the deer belonging to a separate species.

Such sightings are uncommon in this region, with previous instances documented only in isolated pockets of the Dowhill and Bagora forests. Melanism, a hereditary condition causing excess dark pigmentation, can make normally colored deer appear black. This phenomenon has been observed in barking deer in areas like the Darjeeling hills, attributed to a recessive gene.

While India hosts various deer species, fully black individuals are exceptionally rare and typically stem from genetic variations. Researchers note that inheriting the necessary genetic trait from both parents makes melanistic deer uncommon in wild populations. This variation does not signify a new species but rather a unique color morph within existing deer populations.