The pudu is the smallest living deer - well technically the northern pudu is the smallest living deer and also technically they're the smallest living "true" deer. Mouse deer are the smallest living hoofed animals, though they aren't classified in the "true" deer family. Pudus, however, are classified as true deer and thus get the smallest title! These cat-sized deer live in forests of South America in mostly forested environments. They have a preference for the forest edges and form tunnels through forest undergrowth which may be used by a multitude of other forest dwelling animals!
Scientific Name:
- northern pudu (Pudu mephistophiles)
- southern pudu (Pudu puda)
Range: South America
Size: about 15 inches (38cm) at the shoulders and 20 pounds (9kg) in weight
Diet: leaves, grasses, fallen fruit, etc.
Lifespan: 10 years in the wild
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Image and Video Credits:
Duncan Hemingway - • Southern Pudu
high summit - • Pudus de Chiloe
Frederic BISSON - flickr.com/photos/zigazou76/2... ; flickr.com/photos/zigazou76/2... ; flickr.com/photos/zigazou76/2...
Nigel Swales - flickr.com/photos/zooeurope/1...
Joe Shlabotnik - flickr.com/photos/joeshlabotn...
Mats Lindh - flickr.com/photos/fiskfisk/26...
LaggedOnUser - flickr.com/photos/47847725@N0...
Emilia Murray - flickr.com/photos/threefinger...
jonsson - flickr.com/photos/karljonsson...
Eden, Janine and Jim - flickr.com/photos/edenpicture... ; flickr.com/photos/edenpicture... ; flickr.com/photos/edenpicture...
Robert Lowe - flickr.com/photos/rmlowe/3185...
Rob Bixby - flickr.com/photos/scubabix/42... ; flickr.com/photos/scubabix/43...
Eider Joselito Chaves Chaves - www.flickr.com/photos/4745704...
PraiseTheAlmightyHelixFossil - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pu...
menachem.el - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pu...
D. Gordon E. Robertson - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:So...
Uspn - commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
Ryanvanhuyssteen - commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
Grarap2016 - commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
Bitterman - vimeo.com/54422994
Arenga Estudio - vimeo.com/196631994
Flavaia2020 - freesound.org/people/Flavia20...
Research Credits:
animaldiversity.org/accounts/...
www.ultimateungulate.com/Artio...
eol.org/pages/129576/details
eol.org/pages/129574/details
books.google.com/books?id=bCJ...
books.google.com/books?id=2V1...
books.google.com/books?id=qBw...
www.waza.org/en/zoo/visit-the-...
books.google.com/books?id=bcW...
books.google.com/books?id=As7...
books.google.com/books?id=30R...
www.iucnredlist.org/details/18...
books.google.com/books?id=I-k...
nypost.com/2008/05/22/meet-th...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pud%C3%BA
• Meet Haechan the Pudu ...
web.archive.org/web/200901222...
worlddeer.org/northern-pudu
www.researchgate.net/publicat...