Deer “Coal” dies in Moab

A taxidermy company in Grand Junction is helping the Moab community remember a rare deer locals named “Coal.”

“Coal” was named for his black hair. Wildlife officials say his condition, called melanistic, is caused by an over-production of melanin.

“This is much rarer than the albino (all white hair) or the piebald (white spotted),” a post on the Darryl’s Taxidermy page stated.

He was recently found dead in a local’s backyard. Utah Division of Wildlife Resources officials aren’t sure how he died, there were no obvious signs of injuries, but a necropsy is being conducted to find the cause of death.