At the beginning of this month, a rare and tiny Pudu deer, the smallest deer species in the world, was born at a wildlife park in Argentina, providing scientists and conservationists a unique opportunity to study and collect data on this mysterious small animal.
Weighing only 1.21 kg, this fragile and delicate Pudu deer, with its white spots, has been named Lenga, after a species of tree native to the forests of the Andes in Patagonia, Chile, and Argentina.
“This is a very mysterious animal, not easy to see,” said Maximiliano Krause, the caretaker of Lenga at the Temaiken Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on wildlife conservation.
Pudu deer next to its mother. (Photo: Reuters).
According to Krause, Lenga spends all day exploring the park with her mother, Chalten, and father, Nicolino. Lenga will nurse for the first two months until she can start eating grass. Afterward, Lenga will lose the white spots that help fawns camouflage in their environment.
Krause noted that the mottled coloration helps these tiny deer hide from both day and night predators. At about one year old, Pudu deer develop antlers that can reach up to 10 cm.
The Pudu is one of the smallest deer species in the world, reaching only 50 cm in height and weighing around 12 kg when fully grown.
Pudu deer are very difficult to catch, as they escape through winding paths when pursued by predators. These small deer also face threats from wild dogs and other invasive species in southern Argentina and Chile.
Pudu deer Lenga. (Photo: Reuters).
There are only about 10,000 Pudu deer remaining, and they are classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Cristian Guillet, Director of Zoological Operations at the Temaiken Foundation, stated: “The birth of this Pudu is clearly a joy for us. It brings hope for saving them from the brink of extinction.”
The fawn Lenga will aid scientists in research and data collection, contributing to conservation efforts for Pudu and other deer species such as the Huemul, Guillet added.
