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Newborn pudu gets a check-up

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications

The pudu is the smallest deer in the world. A baby pudu then is, well, tiny. See for yourself:

This tiny pudu female was born over the weekend at the zoo and we joined the vets, keepers and members of the press today for the neonatal exam of the baby.

It was a quick exam that went well, and then baby rejoined her mother back on exhibit near the flamingos in the Temperate Forest area of the zoo. You can see them out on exhibit now, though you’ll have to look closely as these small babies are often well concealed by their mothers to protect them from predation.

Not familiar with this animal? The pudu, pronounced POO-doo, is the smallest deer in the world, native to South America. At the zoo, we house southern pudus, which range in the wild throughout the lower Andes of Chile and southwest Argentina. Natural habitat for the endangered pudu continues to diminish due to overpopulation, clearing of land for agriculture, logging, hunting and other human activities. Our pudus are part of a conservation effort called the Species Survival Plan, a cooperative breeding program across accredited zoos to maintain the genetic sustainability of populations.

Photos by Ryan Hawk and Hannah Letinich/Woodland Park Zoo.

Comments

Anonymous said…
it's the smallest and cutest deer in the world
these pudus in their natural state aere so shy and unaccustomed to humans, that there have been instances where, once cornered, pudus have died of a heart attack before being captured.
These pudus have all been born and reared in zoos and are quite accustomed to the presence of humans. All precautions were taken and the little pudu fawn appears to be healthy and hearty.
Anonymous said…
so cute!
Bea Freeman said…
Thanks for all your work with these delicate, adorable creatures! Also, for your work with the not-so-cute ones, too!