A tiny deer from South America, called a southern pudu, has made its debut at the Queens Zoo in New York City. Born on June 21, the fawn weighed just about 1 kilogram at birth and is expected to grow to 7-9 kilograms as an adult, roughly the size of a watermelon. The southern pudu is one of the world’s smallest deer species and is native to Chile and Argentina.
This species is listed as near threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, mainly due to habitat loss and invasive species. To help protect the southern pudu, the Queens Zoo breeds them in collaboration with other zoos to keep their populations healthy and diverse. Since 2005, eight pudu fawns have been born at the zoo.
The newborn fawn will live with its parents at the Queens Zoo, and two more pudus can be found at the Prospect Park Zoo in Brooklyn. This effort helps raise awareness and supports the conservation of this tiny deer species.
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