Only a handful of white ones have been seen since the end of the Second World.
Roe deer, which are native to Britain, have been round for 10,000 years. Louise Roberston, of the League Against Cruel Sports, said: 'It's appalling that people get pleasure from shooting these animals anyway, but to kill a rare species that should be enjoyed by the wider public beggars belief.' 'Most people will be disgusted by the thought that the appearance of such a rare and beautiful animal has prompted a bloodthirsty race to kill it.' Ross Minett from the charity Advocates for Animals said: 'It needs a symbolic name, Pearl, because it is rare and absolutely beautiful. 'A German stalker has contact us and said he will pay up to £5,400 to shoot the deer.'Īnimal lovers said it would be a tragedy if Pearl was shot. 'American and German hunters like deer and once this deer has its antlers it will be even more attractive to them for stalking. Now the magazine Sporting Rifle is planning to publish a countdown diaryĬharlie Jacoby, editor of the magazine, said: 'Selling the opportunity to shoot this deer is a very good money earner. The deer's parents would have both needed the same recessive gene to produce a white fawn. Its colour is thought to be the result of a genetic mutation resulting in a condition called leucism which changes the pattern of pigmentation. The white roebuck was photographed by hunter Dave Bartle last December. I don't care how much anybody offers to kill it, I want to preserve it and make sure it has a long life.' 'While it is on this estate it will be safe. It is a beautiful animal and we are worried about poachers and people coming to shoot it.
'At the moment it is a yearling and doesn't even have antlers. We would prefer people to come and shoot it with their cameras. He said: 'This is quite a rare deer and we want to protect it. Mr Stuart, however, says he will not allow anyone to hunt Pearl. Mr Stuart, the head of an engineering firm in Lancashire, takes stalkers on the estate just outside Kirkconnel, Dumfries, for £80 a day.īut a German hunter desperate to stalk the buck has said he is willing to pay £5,400. He and his wife Yvonne live on the estate and run a bed and breakfast for visitors.