Bays Mountain Park mourns loss of rare white-tail deer

A rare and beloved deer at Bays Mountain Park has died. According to a statement by park officials, Cotton, a white-tail deer passed away over the weekend. She spent all 11 years of her life around people, and captivated visitors of the Kingsport park with her speckled white and brown coat.

Cotton arrived at Bays Mountain when she was just 8 months old after being taken from a family who illegally removed her from the wild. Staff say she was a visitor-favorite, often racing people up and down the fence line and kicking her back legs up with joy.

(Image: Bays Mountain)