Rare white-faced fawn rejected by his mother

Born about a week and a half ago at Deer Tracks Junction farm in Cedar Springs, Michigan, a fawn named Dragon was unique from the start. His birth mother, "Bunny" is a special type of whitetail deer known as the Piebald, which carries a genetic defect causing it to have large areas of white in its coat.



The defect reportedly occurs in less than 1 percent of the whitetail deer population. Dragon was rejected by his mother after birth, likely by natural instinct because he looks different than other fawns. His white colouring would cause him to stand out rather than blend in when trying to hide in nature, Hilary Powell says.



Dragon spent his first few few nights inside Powell's home being bottle-fed before graduating to his own small pen in her yard. Powell still handles his feedings. Later this summer, as he grows and becomes stable, he'll join the other deer in a large fenced-in pasture area. This could happen as early as July, Powell said.


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Dragon was a masculine name chosen by Powell's son because so many of the other animals have softer-sounding names. The fawn has a white face, legs and underside, blue eyes and a pink nose. He was walking right after birth, Powell said, and will grow significantly just in his first year. Deer Tracks Junction opened in 2012. It's a working farm that offers educational opportunities for children and families.