White stags have long featured in some of the best-known myths and legends, a magnificent yet elusive creature.
King Arthur was left frustrated by his attempts to capture one, as were the Kings and Queens of Narnia, who chased the creature through the woods and found themselves tumbling out of a wardrobe.
But visitors to a popular Dorset nature reserve have been able to get a little closer, and one photographer captured the animal grazing on some grass.
It was seen standing next to darker-coloured stags at the RSPB's Arne nature reserve in Dorset.
Photographer Ed Holbrook, 29, was at the reserve to take pictures of birds when he caught sight of the deer from 80 feet away.
The engineer, from Bournemouth, then stayed for half-an-hour to watch.
He said: 'He looked pretty impressive. Unfortunately it was quite overcast and dull so you can't see just how white he was, but he absolutely stood out next to the other deer. He was quite content just eating, but I definitely thought it looked like he was the one in charge."
Rare sighting of a white hart: Living legend that features in the Chronicles of Narnia and Harry Potter is glimpsed grazing in a Dorset nature reserve
Mythical white stags frustrated King Arthur and also led the Kings and Queens of Narnia to tumble out of a wardrobe
But visitors to a nature reserve have been able to get close to one of the creatures - and even capture it on camera
The rare white stag is part of a herd of some 150 sika deer that lives on the RSPB Arne reserve in Dorset
Thought the stag may be caused by a condition called Leucism that causes hair and skin to lose colour
By Stephanie Linning for MailOnline
9 March 2016
Daily Mail
White stags have long featured in some of the best-known myths and legends, a magnificent yet elusive creature.
King Arthur was left frustrated by his attempts to capture one, as were the Kings and Queens of Narnia, who chased the creature through the woods and found themselves tumbling out of a wardrobe.
But visitors to a popular Dorset nature reserve have been able to get a little closer, and one photographer captured the animal grazing on some grass.
Magnificent: The white stag was photographed grazing with a herd in the RSPB Arne reserve in Dorset by photographer Ed Holbrook
Standing out: It is not known why the stag has white colouring but it is thought to be caused by a rare condition called Leucism
It was seen standing next to darker-coloured stags at the RSPB's Arne nature reserve in Dorset.
Photographer Ed Holbrook, 29, was at the reserve to take pictures of birds when he caught sight of the deer from 80 feet away.
The engineer, from Bournemouth, then stayed for half-an-hour to watch.
He said: 'He looked pretty impressive. Unfortunately it was quite overcast and dull so you can't see just how white he was, but he absolutely stood out next to the other deer. He was quite content just eating, but I definitely thought it looked like he was the one in charge.
'At one point he was looking straight at me.'
The stag, which is around four years old, is part of a herd of about 150 sika deer that lives on the reserve. It is not known why the stag has such white colouring, but it is believed it might be caused by Leucism. The condition causes hair and skin to lose its natural colour.
Luke Phillips, from the reserve, said: 'Nationally, white stags still have this sort of mythical status. Arne is the only place I have seen a white one.
'This stag definitely stands out from the rest of the herd. They are visible but they do tend to run off when people are around so it is rare to see. When people are lucky enough to see him, it's always the real highlight of their visit and they come back really excited to have spotted him.'
Sally Welbourn, from the Dorset Wildlife Trust, said the sighting was 'fantastic'.
Bold: Several visitors to the reserve said the all-white sika stag, pictured, did not appear troubled by passing walkers or dogs
Magical: The white stag is a creature that plays a prominent part in a number of English myths and legends, including the story of King Arthur
She said: 'We have seen them before in the county, but due to their condition there aren't that many of them around, and we also don't have many photos of them, so this is a great shot.'
Another visitor to spot the white hart was Sharon Hurst who was walking her dog on the wildlife reserve near Wareham.
She said: 'We go to Arne at least once a week and have a lovely walk with our dog. You always see the sika deer there but this time I was pleased to see this pure white deer. He was not scared or nervous with everything going on around him.
'I felt very lucky to get so close and be able to take a photo - it was magical.'
White stags have also been spotted in recent years in Devon, the New Forest and the Highlands.
Poachers shot and beheaded a white male variant of the red deer on the Devon and Cornwall border in 2007 after locals had kept its presence secret for years. Under many legends surrounding the white hart those who bring harm to it will be cursed.
The Dorset nature reserve is set on private land so poachers would be prosecuted.
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Read more: A white stag is glimpsed grazing in a Dorset nature reserve* | Daily Mail Online
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King Arthur was left frustrated by his attempts to capture one, as were the Kings and Queens of Narnia, who chased the creature through the woods and found themselves tumbling out of a wardrobe.
But visitors to a popular Dorset nature reserve have been able to get a little closer, and one photographer captured the animal grazing on some grass.
It was seen standing next to darker-coloured stags at the RSPB's Arne nature reserve in Dorset.
Photographer Ed Holbrook, 29, was at the reserve to take pictures of birds when he caught sight of the deer from 80 feet away.
The engineer, from Bournemouth, then stayed for half-an-hour to watch.
He said: 'He looked pretty impressive. Unfortunately it was quite overcast and dull so you can't see just how white he was, but he absolutely stood out next to the other deer. He was quite content just eating, but I definitely thought it looked like he was the one in charge."
Rare sighting of a white hart: Living legend that features in the Chronicles of Narnia and Harry Potter is glimpsed grazing in a Dorset nature reserve
Mythical white stags frustrated King Arthur and also led the Kings and Queens of Narnia to tumble out of a wardrobe
But visitors to a nature reserve have been able to get close to one of the creatures - and even capture it on camera
The rare white stag is part of a herd of some 150 sika deer that lives on the RSPB Arne reserve in Dorset
Thought the stag may be caused by a condition called Leucism that causes hair and skin to lose colour
By Stephanie Linning for MailOnline
9 March 2016
Daily Mail
White stags have long featured in some of the best-known myths and legends, a magnificent yet elusive creature.
King Arthur was left frustrated by his attempts to capture one, as were the Kings and Queens of Narnia, who chased the creature through the woods and found themselves tumbling out of a wardrobe.
But visitors to a popular Dorset nature reserve have been able to get a little closer, and one photographer captured the animal grazing on some grass.
Magnificent: The white stag was photographed grazing with a herd in the RSPB Arne reserve in Dorset by photographer Ed Holbrook
Standing out: It is not known why the stag has white colouring but it is thought to be caused by a rare condition called Leucism
It was seen standing next to darker-coloured stags at the RSPB's Arne nature reserve in Dorset.
Photographer Ed Holbrook, 29, was at the reserve to take pictures of birds when he caught sight of the deer from 80 feet away.
The engineer, from Bournemouth, then stayed for half-an-hour to watch.
He said: 'He looked pretty impressive. Unfortunately it was quite overcast and dull so you can't see just how white he was, but he absolutely stood out next to the other deer. He was quite content just eating, but I definitely thought it looked like he was the one in charge.
'At one point he was looking straight at me.'
The stag, which is around four years old, is part of a herd of about 150 sika deer that lives on the reserve. It is not known why the stag has such white colouring, but it is believed it might be caused by Leucism. The condition causes hair and skin to lose its natural colour.
Luke Phillips, from the reserve, said: 'Nationally, white stags still have this sort of mythical status. Arne is the only place I have seen a white one.
'This stag definitely stands out from the rest of the herd. They are visible but they do tend to run off when people are around so it is rare to see. When people are lucky enough to see him, it's always the real highlight of their visit and they come back really excited to have spotted him.'
Sally Welbourn, from the Dorset Wildlife Trust, said the sighting was 'fantastic'.
Bold: Several visitors to the reserve said the all-white sika stag, pictured, did not appear troubled by passing walkers or dogs
Magical: The white stag is a creature that plays a prominent part in a number of English myths and legends, including the story of King Arthur
She said: 'We have seen them before in the county, but due to their condition there aren't that many of them around, and we also don't have many photos of them, so this is a great shot.'
Another visitor to spot the white hart was Sharon Hurst who was walking her dog on the wildlife reserve near Wareham.
She said: 'We go to Arne at least once a week and have a lovely walk with our dog. You always see the sika deer there but this time I was pleased to see this pure white deer. He was not scared or nervous with everything going on around him.
'I felt very lucky to get so close and be able to take a photo - it was magical.'
White stags have also been spotted in recent years in Devon, the New Forest and the Highlands.
Poachers shot and beheaded a white male variant of the red deer on the Devon and Cornwall border in 2007 after locals had kept its presence secret for years. Under many legends surrounding the white hart those who bring harm to it will be cursed.
The Dorset nature reserve is set on private land so poachers would be prosecuted.
The White Hart is an inescapable part of English folklore. The White Hart was the Royal Badge of King Richard II, who reigned from 1377 to 1399
White Hart Lane: Tottenham Hotspur's stadium in North London
The White Hart is the fifth most common pub name in the UK
Read more: A white stag is glimpsed grazing in a Dorset nature reserve* | Daily Mail Online
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
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