Gliding for miles through the mangrove forests of western Florida, the Weeki Wachee River is known for close encounters with wildlife like manatees, dolphins, turtles and otters. But during a recent trip on the water, one boater witnessed something far more unusual.
Last week, a Facebook user named La Guera, who frequently shares her river adventures, posted photos from a moment that stopped her in her tracks. Along the shaded riverbank, she spotted two deer — one with a typical brown coat, and another covered in striking white-and-brown patches.
The second deer was piebald.
Piebaldism is a rare genetic condition that affects melanin production, creating irregular patches of white fur and skin. Among deer, it’s exceptionally uncommon, appearing in fewer than one percent of the population.
Even more remarkable, piebald fawns often struggle to survive to adulthood due to vision problems, vulnerability to predators and other complications. The deer La Guera encountered, however, appeared healthy, calm and fully grown — a rare success story in the wild.
While La Guera hasn’t revealed the exact location of the sighting, others have reported seeing the same piebald deer in the Weeki Wachee area. She also doesn’t seem particularly shy.
In a follow-up Facebook post, La Guera shared that the encounter wasn’t a one-time event.
“Look who I saw on the river AGAIN,” she wrote. “This beautiful piebald deer.”
For now, the rare speckled deer continues to roam the scenic banks of the Weeki Wachee River — a quiet, breathtaking reminder of how extraordinary nature can be when you least expect it.
