Single-horned ‘Unicorn’ deer found in Italy
By MARTA FALCONI, Associated Press Writer Wed Jun 11, 3:06 PM ET
ROME – A deer with a single horn in the center of its head — much like the fabled, mythical unicorn — has been spotted in a nature preserve in Italy, park officials said Wednesday.
“ This is fantasy becoming reality,” Gilberto Tozzi, director of the Center of Natural Sciences in Prato, told The Associated Press. “ The unicorn has always been a mythological animal.”
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 said.
He is believed to have been born with a genetic flaw; his twin has two horns.
Calling it the first time he has seen such a case, Tozzi said such anomalies among deer may have inspired the myth of the unicorn.
The unicorn, a horse-like creature with magical healing powers, has appeared in legends and stories throughout history, from ancient and medieval texts to the adventures of Harry Potter.
“ This shows that even in past times, there could have been animals with this anomaly,” he said by telephone. “ It’s not like they dreamed it up.”
Single-horned deer are rare but not unheard of — but even more unusual is the central positioning of the horn, experts said.
“ Generally, the horn is on one side (of the head) rather than being at the center. This looks like a complex case,” said Fulvio Fraticelli, scientific director of Rome’s zoo. He said the position of the horn could also be the result of a trauma early in the animal’s life.
Other mammals are believed to contribute to the myth of the unicorn, including the narwhal, a whale with a long, spiraling tusk.
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