Frieda Van der Ree has a unique visitor she loves to see on her property in Nanoose Bay.
A fawn, which upon first glance appears to have three ears, and its mother have visited Van der Ree害羞草研究所檚 property approximately twice a week since last spring.
害羞草研究所淲e see more of them grouped together this time of year, but most often I see just the two of them by themselves,害羞草研究所� she said.
Van der Ree has kept a close eye on the pair, partially out of curiosity and also out of concern. While the fawn is 害羞草研究所渉ealthy and thriving害羞草研究所� now, she told PQB News it previously had a terrible limp.
害羞草研究所淚 thought, 害羞草研究所榦h no, this is not boding well for the little thing.害羞草研究所� But it seems to have totally recovered from that. Hopefully it was just an injury,害羞草研究所� she said.
Wildlife is no stranger to Van der Ree害羞草研究所檚 property, as raccoons, squirrels and birds are always around. She said that at least three or four deer lay in her yard everyday, on a bluff that overlooks the road.
害羞草研究所淭hey love to lay there and look down on the road so they can have a good view of dogs coming by.害羞草研究所�
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As for the possibility of a third ear, experts would have to examine the animal up close.
An animal care technician at the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre (NIWRC), Megan Buemann, could not recall if a deer with a mutation such as a third ear has ever been brought to the centre. She said it would be a rare find.
The centre doesn害羞草研究所檛 take in adult deer, said Buemann, as they tend not to survive rehabilitation, citing that 90 per cent don害羞草研究所檛 make it due to stress.
害羞草研究所淏ut when they害羞草研究所檙e fawns and have their spots, they do tend to have a greater chance of making it through,害羞草研究所� she said.
In those cases, the fawns are transferred to a wildlife rescue hospital that害羞草研究所檚 part of the Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society in Courtenay, where Buemann said they害羞草研究所檙e setup to accept wildlife such as raccoons and deer.
According to Buemann, she害羞草研究所檚 aware of a deer and horse mutation where teeth have been found inside their ears, but has not heard of a third ear sighting on Vancouver Island.
In an email to , conservation office Andrew Riddell suspects the 害羞草研究所榯hird ear害羞草研究所� is actually an injury where the fawn害羞草研究所檚 ear was split and healed separately.
Riddell said he forwarded a photo of the fawn to a biologist for further inspection. According to Riddell, the biologist also agrees that it is highly likely to be a healed injury after the ear was split down the middle, and not a birth defect. He said the only certain way to determine if this was a mutation or healed injury would be through a physical examination of the fawn. However, doing so would put the deer through a lot of stress, which could also be harmful.
害羞草研究所淲e likely wouldn害羞草研究所檛 do this unless the deer was suffering in some fashion. But, this deer looks good and healthy,害羞草研究所� said Riddell.
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