Rare Footage of Hudson Valley ‘Zombie Deer’ Shows Deformity Cause

An elusive deer with a grotesque deformity has been both pitied and feared by local residents, but an up-close look shows that neither emotion may be warranted.

We've reported before about the deer that appears to be missing its right eye. The so-called "zombie deer" has been seen with what appears to be its eye with a large tumor on it, hanging out of the socket. Photos and video from far away show the tumor swinging back and forth, hitting the deer in the head while it's running.

Recently, the deer was seen with an offspring. The story elicited a heartwarming response from local residents who were happy to learn that the disfigured deer was not only thriving but also starting a family.

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While I've heard accounts and seen images of the deer on social media, I had never seen her in person until now.

Over the weekend I found myself face to face with the "zombie deer" and realized that all of the pity and fear over this animal was much ado about nothing.

I was just about 15 feet away from the deer who seemed to be unaffected by my presence and was able to get a long look at her eye. From what I could see, it appears that the tumor wasn't on the deer's eye, but a growth on her eyelid, causing it to droop over the eye.

The tumor was also much smaller in person than it appeared in other videos and photos. It looks as though it had shed some of the growth, causing it to look more like the size of a baseball.

After posting a video of the deer, many people still expressed sorrow for the deer, hoping that it would receive care. The deer, however, looked completely unaffected by the deformity, and from what I could tell, was living a very normal life.

Have you seen the Wappingers "Zombie Deer" in person? What were your impressions? You can send us any photos or videos directly through our mobile app.

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