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Rare Black Deer Spotted in Dowhill Forests
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News18•17-10-2026, 12:32
Rare Black Deer Spotted in Dowhill Forests
- •A rare black-colored deer has been captured on camera in the Dowhill forest of the Kurseong Forest Division.
- •According to forest officials such a black deer is born only once among roughly one million deer.
- •The unusual dark coat is attributed to a genetic trait causing an excess of black pigment similar to melanism in leopards.
- •The sighting of the rare black barking deer in the mountain forests has sparked immense curiosity among nature lovers.
Key Questions Answered
The rare black-colored deer was captured on camera in the Dowhill forest of the Kurseong Forest Division by the local DFO, generating immense excitement among wildlife enthusiasts and nature lovers.
According to Forest Department officials, a black deer of this nature is born only once among roughly one million (10 lakh) deer, making a public sighting in the state's mountain forests an exceptionally rare and special event.
The deer is a type of muntjac deer, commonly known as a barking deer, whose coat is black due to genetic traits causing an excess of black pigment, similar to the phenomenon of melanism seen in leopards.
