White young dear with antlers in the park, green glass on background.

File photo. See image of Cañon City deer below. Photo Credit: Diana Sklarova (iStock).

Mountain town residents of Cañon City are mourning the death of a beautiful albino buck that went by the name of Tilde. The rare albino buck had been spotted around Fremont County for at least two-and-a-half years.

Wildlife officials confirmed Saturday in a press release that Tilde was not poached. An official cause of death cannot be determined due to the condition of the body, which was found in "an advanced state of decomposition."

Albino animals are born with a congenital defect that causes partial or complete loss of pigmentation, resulting in their striking and rare white appearance. 

Life in the wild for the albino is often viewed as a struggle to survive. According to National Geographic, there are several disadvantages when it comes to hunting for food and avoiding danger, including poor eyesight. Their lack of camouflage also makes them an easy target for predators such as mountain lions, bears, and coyotes.

“We will miss seeing our rare and iconic city deer,” stated Kristy Gotham, public information officer for Cañon City.

Newsletters

Get OutThere

Signup today for free and be the first to get notified on new updates.

(0) comments

Welcome to the discussion.

Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.