Pudu Deer: World’s Rarest Deer Born In NYC
A rare baby pudu deer weighing just one pound was born at the Queens Zoo in New York in May.
The species of deer, thought to be the cutest because of their size and feature,s comes originally from Argentina and Chile in South America. As well as being utterly cute and adorable, the pudu deer are great climbers and are also known to bark like dogs when sensing danger.
Barbara Russo who works for the Wildlife Conservation Society that run the zoo said the as yet nameless baby deer is doing well in her new surroundings:
“She’s adjusting really well. She’s very cute and still nursing. She will eventually transition to solid foods.”
Even when fully grown, the rare deer only reaches the height of about 14 inches and weigh no more than 20 pounds.
The pudu deer is considered to be an endangered species in the deer world, making the recent birth even more significant. They survive in adulthood on a stable diet of vegetables, hay, fresh leaves, and grain and live a happy and nurtured life at the Queens zoo.
There are two species of Pudu, indigenous to South America: the northern pudu and southern pudu. This baby deer is a southern pudu, which is slightly larger than the northern. You can tell the difference between the two by the size difference and the slightly darker coat of the southern species.
