Srinagar: A viral video on social media claiming to have spotted a rare white deer in north Kashmir’s Gulmarg has been debunked as fake by the wildlife officials, saying that the video has not been captured in the region.
Wildlife Warden North Kashmir, Intisar Suhail, while speaking with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), stated that the species shown in the video is not found anywhere in Jammu and Kashmir—or even in the Indian subcontinent.
“This is a fake video. It has been taken from the internet and is originally from a foreign country,” Sohail clarified. “I traced the original source, and it was first posted on Instagram from outside India. People are spreading misinformation by falsely attributing it to Kashmir.”
The viral clip, which has garnered widespread attention, was initially shared with claims that a rare albino deer had been sighted in the snow-clad forests of Gulmarg. However, experts have dismissed this, explaining that while albinism can occur in various species, no such deer exists in Kashmir.
“We do have native deer species like Hangul (Kashmir stag) and Musk deer, but none in white coloration. Albinism is a genetic condition that can affect animals, but this particular video does not depict any species found in our region,” the wildlife warden said.
He said the individual, who originally shared the misleading post, has ‘apologized’, but that the video continues to circulate online, urging people to verify information before spreading unverified claims on social media.
