Rare ‘unicorn’ deer with white coats seen in Georgia, officials say. See the photos

People in Georgia have been reporting sightings of “unicorns” in their backyards.

But the spotted animals aren’t mythical creatures, they’re deer with a rare coloration, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

At least two people reported sightings of the piebald deer, which have partially white coats instead of the typical brown coloring, in May, according to the department.

The department shared photos of a fawn and an adult deer that were spotted.

The coloration is rare and observed in less than 1% of deer sightings, the department wrote in an email to McClatchy News.

Their white coloring is caused by a genetic mutation that leads to fewer pigmented cells in the skin. Both parents have to have the recessive gene in order for the fawn to show the coloration, the department says.

But the gene can have an effect on the deer beyond the white coat. It can cause issues, such as short legs, arching of the spine, “dorsal bowing of the nose,” “deviation of limb joints,” overbite and “malformation of internal organs,” the Georgia Department of Natural Resources said.

“Most adult piebald deer seen have a mild form of the condition, while deer born with more pronounced malformations usually are still born or die shortly after birth from deformities or predation,” the department wrote on Facebook.

This story was originally published June 2, 2022 at 5:20 PM with the headline "Rare ‘unicorn’ deer with white coats seen in Georgia, officials say. See the photos."