Rare white deer stuns visitors at Scottish beauty spot

Visitors say the moment they spotted a white deer at a beauty spot in Scotland was like something out of a fairytale.

Dutch photographer José van Hell caught incredible photos of the rare creature at the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Loch of the Lowes Visitor Centre.

Kiera Fox and her son Orryn couldn’t believe their eyes when they visited earlier this month and spotted the animal.

A rare white deer was spotted at the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Loch of the Lowes Visitor Centre. José van Hell

The white fallow buck was pictured resting by the lake at the nature reserve. Although they look very different to other deer, they are not albinos and have normal eye pigmentation.

The British Deer Society says that unusually pale coats in any deer are usually a result of under-production of melanin, the chemical responsible for skin pigmentation.

The family had visited to see the reserve’s beloved ospreys, but they were instead taken aback by the white deer.

The Perthshire beauty spot covers 130 hectares, including woodland, a freshwater loch and the visitor centre and hides.

Kiera Fox and her son Orryn spotted the white deer at Loch of the Lowes. Supplied

In some Celtic mythology, white deer are seen as messengers from the other world.

Their white appearance is caused by leucism – a rare genetic pattern that reduces levels of the pigment responsible for colour.

Kiera told STV News: “We were both delighted to see it.

“It had positioned itself at the edge of the loch and was in a great spot to see with the binoculars.

“It looked very peaceful, like something from a children’s fairytale book.

“We had originally come to try and catch a glimpse of the ospreys, which weren’t around at the time we visited, so seeing this definitely made our day.

“My son loved his visit, and the white stag was definitely a bonus.”