A wildlife photographer has captured a series of stunning photos of a rare white moose—with a condition that gives its fur no pigment—roaming in the fields of Sweden.
Roger Brendhagen, 52, caught sight of this moose during a walk through the countryside near Värmland, Sweden.
The wildlife photographer, who originally hails from Norway, said he was delighted to catch a glimpse of one, as only around 30 white moose live in the area.
“I have met thousands of moose in my life but when I met this guy in the Swedish forests, I almost lost my senses but thank God I did not lose the camera,” Roger added.
Roger further clarified the legendary white moose that first appeared in western Värmland sometime in the 1930s is not albino. According to researchers, these moose contain a genetic code that makes their coat unable to store any pigment.
Roger explained that the phenomenon that causes this is called leucism.
Leucism comes under a wide variety of conditions that result in the partial loss of pigmentation in an animal or bird—that causes white, pale, or patchy coloration of the skin, hair, feathers, scales, or cuticles. However, the eyes, beak, and claws of the species often have normal pigmentation, which is what makes the condition different from albinism.
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