Photo: CPW
Visitors to National Parks are often gifted rare opportunities to see wildlife up close. Unfortunately, it’s become common for many tourists to get too close lately, as more and more people are inclined to document their encounters with selfies. Wayne D. Lewis of Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) recently spotted a very rare elk in Estes Park, Colorado, which is just outside of Rocky Mountain National Park. He documented his sighting exactly as CPW would probably prefer every visitor should: with a telephoto lens.
CPW shared new images this week of an incredibly rare, piebald elk roaming the park grounds. According to a post from park officials, her partially white coat is a genetic trait that occurs in only one in about 100,000 elk.
“This piebald female (cow) elk in Estes Park has been catching attention for a bit and for good reason,” they wrote. “This rare genetic trait occurs in about 1 out of every 100,000 elk and causes a mostly white coat of hair with some patches of brown. If you’re lucky enough to catch a glimpse of her, remember to give her lots of space!”
Piebaldism can occur in many species, including humans. It occurs in the absence of mature melanin-forming cells (melanocytes) in certain areas of the skin and hair, and unlike albinism, it doesn’t take away all pigmentation. This is why animals in the wild get their distinct white patches with mostly brown coats. It’s also not so rare among domesticated animals thanks to selective breeding. And while the most distinct characteristic is the coat of white patches, the effects of piebaldism aren’t always just superficial. The coats of animals are typically adapted for survival, allowing a species to hide from predators. A single piebald elk with large white patches on its body is clearly at a big disadvantage in that department.
