White Deer Herd

There's a community rift in New York, where developers are clashing with a group that wants to preserve a herd of white deer. White deer are not that rare (being bred in captivity), but this apparently is a unique wild herd of about 300. From the news report:

"White because of a recessive gene, there is an extraordinary herd is tucked away in Seneca County, New York. Most people don't even know the deer exist because they live on a former army depot, surrounded by a 24-mile fence meant to keep intruders out – and the deer in." ...
"But the herd is caught in a modern day dilemma. A business group wants to develop 7,500 acres of the former depot while Dennis Money's white deer group wants to turn the land into a nature preserve." ...
"Seneca County is an area that's hurting economically – still trying to recover from massive job losses over the past two decades. That's why local business developers see this army depot as a gold mine for economic development." ...
"'We're looking to preserve the deer, but also pursue other activity that won't compromise their viability here,' Glenn Cooke says. 'We feel we can do both.'"

[Full news posted to StrangeArk archive.]