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One
of the world's most endangered animals is the Key deer,
nature's smallest version of the white-tailed deer. These animals, which
weigh no more than a large dog, have a population almost as tiny as
their size.
An estimated 700 to 800 animals remain, surviving on
a handful of landfalls in the lower Florida Keys. This is a huge population
increase from several years ago when only 200-400 were thought to inhabit
the Keys.
Key
deer are amazingly visible year-round, but August
is an exceptional month. (Where to see Key deer)
No matter how hot it is, you don't need to venture out into the 90-degree
plus temperatures to witness any of this. The deer readily present themselves along the side of the road and usually pay little attention to cars
that stop to observe them.
This lack of fear poses one of the greatest threats to the herd's welfare.
An average of one deer a week is killed by a car on Big Pine Key, headquarters
of the National Key Deer
Refuge.
Why
Key Deer Are Endangered
Where
to See Key Deer
Best
Month To Photograph Key Deer
Key
Deer Habits and Habitat
Key Deer Evolution,
Adaptation
Close
Neighbors: People and Key Deer
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