Unicorn Deer!

[AndThePickles]

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.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080611/ap_on_fe_st/italy_unicorn

Pretty cool. It's like Bambi 2.0!

 

[The Apocalypse]

HELL YEA! Unicorns are fraking real!

 

[Carcharodon]

HELL YEA! Unicorns are fraking real!

No. No, they're not.

 

[Rando Aces]

No. No, they're not.

dream crusher

 

[The Apocalypse]

No. No, they're not.

 

[chaseter]

I beat he would win in a headbutt/stabbing competition.

 

[Colossal Spoons]

Protein!

 

[Carcharodon]

dream crusher

 

[AndThePickles]

No. No, they're not.

Yes they are

Protein!

Unicorn killer!

 

[chaseter]

Protein!

And look...he comes with a nice toothpick. How convenient nature

 

[Jennifer Walters]

Unicorns born from deer. Not the animal I would have preferred to bring this marvelously gay creature into our real world, but eh, it'll have to do.

 

[Deep Thinkin'!]

yay! unicorns!

 

[Majik1387]

Unicorns.

 

[LazloSpeeker]

Unicorns born from deer. Not the animal I would have preferred to bring this marvelously gay creature into our real world, but eh, it'll have to do.

Don't fret yet my little friend. Although this deer unicorn is the first actual unicorn seen by modern man, it IS proof that such a creature can exist and I for one would not see it as a stretch to say a unicorned horse has existed at some point in the last 1000 years.

The traditional unicorn which is akin to a horse is probably a freak occurence in nature, similar to the white buffalo only alot more rare.

Now, if only a winged, fire breathing dragon can be found. Then the orc army can rise and the elven race can return once again.

 

[jaymes_e06]

Yeah I read that when it was published and may I just say....



SWEEET!

 

[chamber-music]

We must protect the Unicorn from Tom Cruise!

 

[darkseid26]

Yeah! Yeah! Unicorns!

 

[SWAT]

Now, we only have to splice it with a horse.

 

[Girl_Wonder]

I dunno...looks more like a cowlick than a horn.

 

[Prison Mike]

maybe it escaped from Narnia?

 

[jaymes_e06]

I dunno...looks more like a cowlick than a horn.

Actually if you look closer at the image you can see the the horn and it looks like a little ice cream swirl.

 

[Leto Atrides]

Don't fret yet my little friend. Although this deer unicorn is the first actual unicorn seen by modern man, it IS proof that such a creature can exist and I for one would not see it as a stretch to say a unicorned horse has existed at some point in the last 1000 years.

The traditional unicorn which is akin to a horse is probably a freak occurence in nature, similar to the white buffalo only alot more rare.

It can happen with deer and goats (see below) because they already have horns, they just need to merge together. It's a whole different story for horses, which don't have any in the first place. It's possible that there was a horse with some growth on its forehead at some point, but the idea probably just came from the general tradition of making stuff up like griffins and satyrs and what not.

 

[The Lizard]

At least the unicorn goat is white and has a beard.

 

[The Apocalypse]

 

[Captain Planet!]

Deers can be gay too.