Rudolph was never going to be everyone’s favorite reindeer forever, and this week, he ceded the spotlight to a little white reindeer that has captivated the internet.
A series of breathtaking glamour shots of the white reindeer calf blending right in with the snow have recently gone viral after a travel photographer shared them from his hiking trip in northern Norway.
“Back to the cold north. Met this white little reindeer in northern Norway. He almost disappeared into the snow!” began the Instagram post that introduced the animal to its new fan base.
Many holiday spirit animal enthusiasts were quick to hop on board with this reindeer. The original post racked up more than 36,000 likes.
The white reindeer calf was just walking along – or perhaps migrating – before he became an internet celebrity for the 2018 holiday season.
Mads Nordsveen, 24, is the Oslo-based photographer who said he was surprised to happen upon the snowy white reindeer, even though he’s a pro at snapping up magical moments in the great outdoors across Norway.
“It was very magical and a fairy tale moment! We looked straight into each others eyes. I was actually so stunned that it took some seconds before I got reminded by my photographer instinct to grab the camera and save the moment forever,” Nordsveen told TIME in an e-mail.
With its snow-white coat, this reindeer has brought people from all corners of the world to the clear realization that this white reindeer calf is really something to see.
The mammal appears to have been very camera-friendly too. And the way the reindeer’s uncommon white shade appears almost camouflaged in the background blanketed with snow only added to the mystique for people who were charmed by the photo series.
