ADFG Releases Photos Of Rare Lightly Colored Moose In Alaska

Alaska Department of Fish and Game has released a photo of an unusually colored bull moose that state officials believe is a rare type of moose. Here are two overhead shots courtesy of ADFG’s Facebook page:

ADFG’s Facebook post added the following information and pointed out that the moose spotted was not an albino moose:

While flying moose population surveys in Interior Alaska this winter, ADF&G biologists spotted this rare, leucistic bull moose. 

Leucism is a genetic mutation that causes a partial lack of pigment in the skin and hair (and feathers and scales in other animals) but not in the eye. This is not the same as albinism in which no melanin is present, and the eyes are pink.

The Anchorage Daily News also had some details and pointed out that the location of this moose sighting has not been released. Also from the ADN:

The state’s Facebook post has gotten nearly 3,000 reactions and comments, including some who referred to it as a “spirit animal” that shouldn’t have been photographed. Others begged for GPS coordinates so they could see the animal.