Today is close up day for my Key Deer design and some of my favorite fun facts about Key Deer. A fully grown Key Deer is about 2 to 3 feet tall and 55 to 80 pounds. That is about the size of a medium sized dog. Their fawns are about the size of a house cat. Because of their size, they are nicknamed Toy Deer. They are the smallest subspecies of the North American white-tailed deer but are the largest herbivores on the Florida Keys. They are the smallest subspecies of the North American white-tailed deer but are the largest herbivores on the Florida Keys. About ¾ of the Key Deer population is located on the Big Pine and No Name Keys islands. Key Deer eat at least 150 types of native flora including mangrove leaves and thatch palm berries. Thatch palm trees, red mangroves, and black mangroves are depicted in my design. Fresh water sources are very important to their survival but they can handle drinking a little brackish water. (Brackish water is in-between ocean water and freshwater in the amount of salt it has). For more Fun Facts Check out my References below:
Key Deer Facts
Mangrove Species Brackish Water
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March 11th was Key Deer Awareness Day. My Key Deer is a little late but it is always a good day to spread awareness.
Found on the Florida Keys, Key Deer were hunted to near extinction with about 25 deer found in 1951. They were listed as endangered on March 11th, 1967 and were one of the first animals “protected by the U.S. Endangered Species Act in 1973.” (https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Mammals/Key-Deer). Key Deer do not have any natural predators except humans. Over the years, Key Deer have been conditioned to approach humans from people feeding them. Although this seems like a harmless act of kindness, this causes Key Deer to wander into more human populated areas. This makes them vulnerable to their number one threat of getting hit by cars and other vehicles. To help conserve the Key Deer population, keep the Key Deer wild and do not feed them. |
Artist and Blogger
I'm just a doodling artist. My current style started in a lecture class at MCLA where I began doodling in my notebooks. Now I've started a new series focusing on animals. Archives
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