No One Can Explain Why This Poor Deer Spotted in Cape Elizabeth is Purple

The deer seems to be okay...except that it's half purple!

The Bangor Daily News reported on the deer caught on camera by Tony Gedaro of South Portland. He saw it while he was passing through Cape Elizabeth. The deer is a crotch horn buck, and has some masses on its chest and lower jaw...and it seems to be turning purple.

Most of this poor thing's face and neck, the top of its head, and the fuzz on the antlers and ears are shades of purple. And it appears to be turning purple. But other than that, it looks normal and seems healthy. Tony is an avid photographer and has captured many animals, but he had never seen anything quite like this. A deer biologist for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife said that there are a lot of possibilities as to why this is happening, but they can never know for sure without sending samples to a lab.

The swollen masses could be related to a condition called “Bullwinkle Deer,” which swells an infected animal's face. It's caused by bacteria, but no animal has turned purple from it. Lots of people in Cape Elizabeth have said they've seen the deer, so it seems to be okay. But what the heck has made it purple?

I'm glad that it seems to be otherwise healthy. Maybe it's a lucky sign. Tony, who took the picture, did not know what to think of the deer. He's not alone...no one seems to know what to think of the mysterious purple deer.