Somebody defrost the Unicorn Hunter

[andygates]

We've got a live one!  Fresh from the Associated Press, it's a mutant roe deer in Italy with a single horn (not too uncommon) but the horn's in the centre of its head (which is apparently pretty damn rare).

The 1-year-old Roe Deer — nicknamed "Unicorn" — was born in captivity in the research center's park in the Tuscan town of Prato, near Florence, Tozzi [director of the Center of Natural Sciences in Prato] said.

He is believed to have been born with a genetic flaw; his twin has two horns.

I wonder how many Italian hunters are looking at that pointy head and wondering, "When does mutant season open?"

Comments

[ravenbait.livejournal.com]

Yeah.

Saw that on wtf_nature.

[ravenbait.livejournal.com]

Oh. Hang on. His twin has two?

Are they identical twins or fraternal ones? Because that would be weird, wouldn't it, if they were identical twins and yet only one had a genetic abnormality?

[n-decisive.livejournal.com]

"When does mutant season open?"

Curse you, Gates- now I'll have, "Bumbi's mom is...dead! Waaaaaah!" and Skippy Squirrel in my mind all day.

[andygates.livejournal.com]

It doesn't say, but if they were genetic twins then that's a remarkably symmetrical and non-impairing foetal development anomaly. Post-fertilisation genetic damage perhaps?

[flitljm.livejournal.com]

Lovely sight, thank you for posting!