In the Chronicles of Narnia, the White Stag is fabled to grant wishes to whoever catches him. There is a Scottish dance called The White Stag of Arran and, according to local tradition, a white stag is said to appear near Brodick Castle when one of the Hamilton chiefs dies to herald him to the other side.
It is like a ghost fleeting among the heather, a beast of myth whose precise location must be protected from those who would do him harm.
The white stag, an animal of such rarity that it was revered by the ancient Celts as a messenger from the afterlife, has been seen on the west coast of Scotland.
These exclusive pictures show the rare beast grazing quietly among young red stags, unaware of his celebrity status as the only known example in Britain.
The animal was spotted during a recent field trip by Fran Lockhard, the partnership manager with the John Muir Trust, who photographed and filmed the white stag.
“It was amazing to crawl up so close to such a magnificent looking animal,” she said. “He looked almost ghost-like next to the group of young red stags that he was mixing with. I am thrilled to know that there is a white stag roaming free out there in the Scottish Highlands. We will be watching this animal with interest, particularly as he will be reaching his full potential in the next couple of years.”
