A man has baffled the internet after spotting an unusual-looking moose with a rare genetic mutation in his “backyard”.
Thomas Mørch couldn’t help but laugh when he saw the animal, admitting that he thought it more looked like a cow than the largest member of the deer family.
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He was tipped off about the presence of the mythical-looking creature by a friend who lives near his home in a valley in Hallingdal, Norway.
Heading out to see the moose for himself, Thomas captured a stunning set of images that showcase its unusual grey and white fur and piercing blue eyes.
He later shared the snaps on Instagram, where some people have been left in disbelief.
“The patches on the moose are due to ‘piebaldism’,” Thomas told What’sTheJam.co.uk.
“This is a genetic mutation affecting pigmentation, which can also affect domesticated animals, such as horses, dogs, and cattle.
“It refers to the melanin-forming cells in areas of the skin and hair – it can also occur in humans.
“I got a tip from a friend who lived further up in the valley about the moose.
“He knew I was good at documenting animals in wild nature.
“My first thought was to laugh. I asked my friend, ‘What is this? It reminds me of a cow.’
“We laughed together, and I just shot these pictures smiling like it was a dream.”
Social media users had a lot to say when the experienced photographer shared footage of the moose online.
Some even claimed the animal was AI-generated.
One Instagram user said: “Looks very AI generated to me.”
“What the hell,” questioned a second user.
A third person added: “Nature is so amazing new generations think it’s so perfect that only can be AI…”
Meanwhile, someone else simply praised the animal’s beauty, writing: “Looks unreal in the snow. [I] hope it will be allowed to live in peace.”
According to Science Direct, animal piebaldism is characterised by white patches of skin and hair as well as blue eyes.
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