Key+Deer

= = == =Key Deer (//Odocoileus virginianus)// = The key deer is part of the mammal family. A mammal is an orginism that is covered in hair and gives live birth



__Don't shoot the Key Deer! White-tails make better trophies.__ =D

Reproduction:media type="custom" key="3727845" width="409" height="108"
Breeding between the Key deer occurs all season, but peaks at September - October. The fawning peak is in May when the grass is green from the April rainy season. There are usually more male fawns then there are female, but the adult sex ratio is females 2 to 1. The age expectancy of females is 17 years of age, while the males is only 8 years of age.



Habitat:
The Key Deer's habitat include terrain of the following: pinelands, hardwood hammocks, button-wood scrub mangrove, and mangrove swamps. They use fresh water consistently in their habitat. Also the key deer are good swimmers and can travel island to island for food sources and breeding purposes.

Population
The population size of the Key Deer today is roughly 600.

Diet:
The Key Deers diet varies from season to season. They feed on plants depending on the availability and the nutrients needed by the deer. Some of these plants included in the key deers diet are mangrove, palm, dilly fruits, blackbead, acacia, and indian mulberry.

Range:
Key deer can be found in Flordia on a couple of the lower islands of the Flordia Keys.

Description:
The Key Deer's body is stockier, has shorter legs, and has a wider skull than other deer.
 * Adult Key Deer || Height || Weight ||
 * Male || 25-30in || 55-75 lbs ||
 * Female || 25-30in || 45-65lbs ||

Information/Facts:
The Key deer is the smallest subspecies of the white-tail deer. In the 1920's the Key deer became popular target for hunters in the South Eastern US. In 1939 Flordia banned the hunting of Key deer, although the population still decreased to about 100 deer in the 1940's due to the cause of illegal hunting. A recover plan started on May 18 1999. In 1957 a National Key Deer Refuge(located on Big Pine Key) was made that protected the key deer along with several other endangered species. [|Key Deer refuge info]

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= = By: PJ Vlcek = D