Most hikers hope for a glimpse of deer or maybe a coyote—but when David Kramer set out on the Olema Valley trail in Point Reyes National Seashore, he stumbled on something truly extraordinary: a white American badger, as pale as a ghost.
A Once-in-a-Lifetime Encounter
Kramer, a nature photographer, was mid-hike when he spotted the unusual creature padding down the path. “It was coming toward me and didn’t notice me at first,” Kramer said. “When it came into full view, I realized what I was seeing.”
He snapped a quick photo before the badger, cranky-faced and completely unique, turned and vanished into the brush.
Not Quite Albino—A Genetic Mystery
This badger isn’t a true albino. Experts believe it’s leucistic, meaning a genetic mutation has caused its fur to lose most of its pigment. Its dark eyes and a touch of color on the nose give away its true nature.
Leucistic (or possibly erythristic, where animals show unusual reddish pigment) badgers are so rare that long-time park ecologists say they’ve never heard of one in Point Reyes.
Why Here, Why Now?
Point Reyes is prime badger territory—open grasslands, soft soil for digging, and plenty of prey like gophers and voles. The local badger population is healthy and expanding, but finding a white one is a true wildlife jackpot.
Wildlife ecologist David Press says sightings like this are “unique” and recommends checking out places like Pierce Point Road if you hope to get lucky. Badgers are mostly nocturnal but will sometimes bask in the sun on a cold day.
Wild Wonders Close to Home
For Kramer, who has spent decades hiking the region, this “ghost badger” was one of his most exciting encounters—right up there with mountain lions and blue-eyed coyotes.
The wild still holds surprises. Sometimes, you just have to be on the right trail, at the right time, and ready to see what others might miss.
