Skip to main content

White-tailed Deer

Odocoileus virginianus (Bucks)
It's that time of year again-- deer season. I live in a state where Deer hunting is a norm and a common topic of conversation  and was actually surprised that I hadn't covered White-tailed Deer on this blog in the past!

The White-tailed Deer is well known throughout North and Central America, and they have even been introduced to parts of Europe and New Zealand. They are one of the most widely distributed mammals in the Americas, and it is no surprise that there are around three dozen different recognized subspecies. They are incredibly adaptable, and live in a huge range of habitats. Grasslands, woodlands, subtropical forests, scrublands, and even suburban neighborhoods all play host to these Deer.

Doe
White-tailed Deer are named for the undersides of their tails, which they raise when alarmed. Those tails communicate danger to one another, but is not their only form of communication. The Deer also produce a variety of sounds (Does and their Fawns bleat to find each other), and mark their territory using scent glands.

White-tailed Deer vary in size, depending on that territory and location. The Key West subspecies is the smallest (weighing around 80lbs), while Bucks in the northern United States and Canada can reach near 300lbs. Bucks are larger than Does, and also are the only sex to sport antlers, which are shed and regrown each year after the rutting season.

Rut takes place in the late fall, and during that times males will compete against one another for breeding rights. A Buck may reproduce with multiple Does each season, and has nothing more to do with the female or her eventual offspring after copulation. Does can have up to three fawns at a time, and they hide their small, spotted offspring in the undergrowth while they go off to feed (mothers of multiples will hide each fawn separately). The young deer are weaned by the end of summer, but will often hang around with mom for another year or two.
Fawn

Because White-tailed Deer live in so many places, they are able to eat many different kinds of plant life. Leaves, grasses, acorns, cacti, fruits, and mushrooms are all consumed by the species. They can also cause problems in farms, orchards, and gardens when they decide to go after corn and other crops.

Overall, White-tailed Deer are listed as being of Least Concern, though some of the subspecies (like the aforementioned Key West variety) are listed separately with their own conservation classification.
IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : North and Central America, introduced to Europe and New Zealand
Size : Weight up to 300lbs (136kg)
Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Cervidae -- Genus : Odocoileus -- Species : O. virginianus
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bornean Orangutan

The Bornean Orangutan is one of two extant Orangutan species in the world. It is the third largest primate (after Gorillas) and is the largest primarily tree-dwelling animal in the world. Males are substantially larger than females, and average at around 165lbs. Bornean Orangutans are largely solitary. A handful might live within a small range but they will seldom interact with one another. Males and females only meet up to breed, which happens only once every several years. A young Orangutan will stay with it's mother for about five years, and the females tend to go about eight years between births. That is the longest interim period of any animal! Sadly, the Bornean Orangutans are in a lot of trouble. They need large forests in order to thrive, and deforestation and habitat degradation has left many homeless. They are also hunted for meat and for traditional medicines. Conservation areas are being established to help these guys in the wild, and it is believed that there are a
59 comments
Read more

Four!

For anyone who was counting, yesterday was our birthday-- four years! Four years filled with animals from A to Z, more than 1,100 of them! I can't thank my readers enough, it's been wonderful! And in celebration of that milestone... I'm taking a break. Hopefully not forever, but for a little bit at least. In the mean time I plan on getting a new layout out, along with some updates to some of the older articles. I'll post updates here and on the Facebook page, I'm also brainstorming some new animal-related projects, so keep an eye out! Thanks again for four awesome years!
18 comments
Read more

Halloween Crab

Gecarcinus quadratus The Halloween Crab goes by many names, including the Red Land Crab, Whitespot Crab, and Moon Crab. I personally like Halloween Crab though, since it really reflects the interesting colors. They have black carapaces, orange-red legs, and purple claws! Halloween Crabs live in the Pacific coast mangroves and forests of Central and South America. They actually live in the forests as adults, and return to the ocean in order to reproduce. Did you know that they live as far away as 18 miles (30km)  from water? Not where you normally think Crabs to be! While living in the forest, the Crabs forage nocturnally for different plant matter, including leaves and sapling. They also dig long burrows into the ground for protection. These burrows can measure nearly 5 ft long! Halloween Crabs are sometimes kept in captivity, and can be very tricky pets due to their excellent climbing skills. IUCN Status :  Not Listed Location :   Cent
Post a Comment
Read more