The XO Directory

Unicorn,the 1-year-old Roe Deer was born with a single horn at the center of his head. He is believed to have been born with a genetic flaw because his twin has two normal horns. He was born in captivity in the research center's park in the Tuscan town of Prato, near Florence, Italy.

"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.

Link