‘White’ sambar cub in Gir attracting tourists

Junagadh: A rare genetic disorder in a young sambar (a kind of deer) cub in Gir forests has made it look like a ‘white deer’ causing flocking of tourists to see it.

Chief Wildlife Conservator A P Singh today said that the discolouring of the Sambar was owing to the rare genetic disorder called Albino. ‘It has happened in the black bucks or Cheetals of Gir in the past but this is first time for a sambar. The disorder has made it look like a white deer. She was noticed near an artificial water tank in Paraniya area around 60 km from here’, he said.

The around 8 month old sambar cub lives mostly with its mother which was in usual dark brown color of a sambar.

The white cub is being clicked by tourists coming to the forests, famous as the sole abode of the Asiatic lions in the world.

One of such tourist Vasudev Dave today said that he was so surprised to see a white dear cub with its brown mother. ‘I clicked it with my camera and uploaded on the social media also,’ he said.

DeshGujarat