Rare white Muntjac deer spotted outside of Bishop’s Waltham

Ross Bartlett was on the outskirts of Bishop’s Waltham when he saw the albino animal running nearby.

With his phone in hand, Ross hastily snapped a handful of photos before the Albino Muntjac Deer disappeared.

The 36-year-old machinery dealer said he briefly saw a white deer a few months earlier but believed it to be a trick of the eye.

The deer spotted by Ross on December 15 (Image: Ross Bartlett)

Speaking on the sighting on December 15, Ross said: “I spotted a white deer darting across the track five months ago and I thought I was seeing things.

“I haven’t seen anything like that before and I have lived in the area for about 25 years.

“I saw this white deer on Friday morning and as I had my phone in my hand I took some photos, and then it was gone.

“People have told me they’ve never seen one before.”

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Following the rare sighting, Ross was sceptical as to whether he really had seen a white deer.

He said: “Spotting an Albino Muntjac Deer is very, very rare – I’ve never seen it.

“My first reaction was that it was an animal that had escaped Marwell.

“Most people don’t even see one in their lifetime, so the fact there is one around here is quite unbelievable.”

Ross added: “If you told someone about this sighting without pictures they wouldn’t believe you.”

The British Deer Society confirmed that Ross did indeed spot a muntjac deer, in this case a doe. 

Although muntjac are now widespread and quite common across much of southern England, including Hampshire, normally coloured animals are more usually a russet brown, turning slightly greyer in the winter. 

'Entirely white animals are highly unusual', said Charles Smith-Jones from the Society.

According to the Society, unusually pale coats in any deer are usually a result of under-production of melanin.

Charles added: "My advice to anyone who encounters such a deer would be to simply enjoy the experience in the knowledge that they have seen something very special.

"Muntjac have distinct home ranges and do not move far from them.

"Although highly visible to predators, an adult muntjac is in no danger from any of the UK's wild carnivores and their greatest dangers come from uncontrolled dogs or road traffic.

"If left undisturbed this one should thrive and it would be interested to see if she passes on her genes."