Admin Table of Contents
Where did the Key deer come from?
The Key deer is a subspecies of white-tailed deer which migrated to the Florida Keys from the mainland over a land bridge during the Wisconsin glaciation.
How many Key deer are killed by cars?
Today, the number stands at about 4,300. This influx of people and the development they stimulate have yielded a variety of factors dangerous to the deer: Roads and motor vehicles: Road traffic on average kills 45 deer annually, the subspecies’ single largest cause of death in an average annual mortality of 63 animals.
What is the whitetail deer’s habitat?
White-tailed deer, the smallest members of the North American deer family, are found from southern Canada to South America. In the heat of summer they typically inhabit fields and meadows using clumps of broad-leaved and coniferous forests for shade.
Where is deer Key?
Florida Keys
Key Deer are only found in the Florida Keys which extend into the Gulf of Mexico from the bottom of Florida. An estimated 700 Key deer occupy the islands of Big Pine Key, No Name Key, and a few smaller surrounding islands.
Why are key deers endangered?
The Key deer is listed as endangered by the Endangered Species Act. Threats to Key deer include habitat loss from development of coastal habitats and floodplains, car accidents, disease, illegal feeding by humans, and climate change, which is affecting mangroves.
What key has deer?
On average, the deer stand only about 24 to 32 inches (61 to 81 centimeters) at the shoulder. Key deer live on 20 to 25 islands in the southern Florida Keys, hence their name. They used to live across the lower Florida Keys, but now are only found in the areas from Sugarloaf Key to Bahia Honda Key.
How high can a key deer jump?
They can also jump quite high – up to eight feet. These skills start at a young age. I recently observed one of my young fawns jumping a three-foot fence. Deer also communicate vocally.
How do deer help the ecosystem?
As herbivores, deer play a crucial role in the ecosystem, providing food for large predators such as gray wolves (Canis lupis), cougars (Puma concolor), bobcats (Lynx rufus), and coyotes (Canis latrans). They feed primarily on grasses, herbaceous plants, fruits, and legumes and are active throughout the year.