ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) - It was literally their 30 seconds or so of fame, several of the white deer that make their home at the former Seneca Army Depot, were the focus of the nature segment that usually ends each episode of the program CBS Sunday Morning.
Host Jane Pauley introduced the video.
“We leave you this Sunday morning with a rarity, a herd of white deer in Seneca County, New York, remind us, different, can be beautiful.”
That video was taken by Carl Mrozek, a Western New York based videographer who has been taking wildlife video for the CBS Sunday Morning program for more than 20 years. His work has taken him all over the country, photographing everything from wild horses to a grizzly bear; but Mrozek says these deer presented a challenge as well.
“The white deer have been very special because they’re so elusive , they’re very rare, plus the access to them is very limited, so they’ve been one of the toughest species I’ve tackled, actually,” Mrozek told WXXI News.
He says that the white deer tend to not want to stay out in the open for very long.
“The white deer themselves are a lot spookier than brown deer, they seem to be very cognizant of being white and conspicuous. They don’t like to give you a second chance, the usually, at the very least, fade into the thick underbrush as quick as they can.”
The non-profit group that runs tours through the former Army property, Seneca White Deer, helped Mrozek capture that video. They say that national publicity may help increase at the property which already has played hosted to several thousand people over the last year.
This is an extended clip from the CBS Sunday Morning website. (video by Carl Mrozek):