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The Southern Pudu (Pudu puda)
The Southern Pudu (pronounced “poo-doo”) belongs to the family Cervidae, which includes 43 species of deer in 16 genera. Pudu belong to the genus Pudu. There are two species of pudu: the Southern Pudu (Pudu puda), and the Northern Pudu (Pudu mephistophiles) which range through the lower Andes of Ecuador, northern Peru and Colombia.
Southern Pudu
The pudu inhabits temperate rain forests in South America in dense underbrush and bamboo. Southern Chile, southwest Argentina, Chiloé Island, and northwest South America are home to the deer. The southern pudu species is found in the slope of the Southern Andes from sea level to 2,000 metres (6,600 ft).
The climate of the pudu’s habitat is composed of two main seasons: a damp, moderate winter and an arid summer. Annual precipitation in these areas of Argentina and Chile ranges from two to four metres (6.6 to 13 ft). Its height is 14-18 inches (36-46 cm) high at the shoulder and weight is 14-30 pounds (6.4-13.6 kg).
The pudu’s lifespan in the wild is estimated at 12-14 years but the southern pudu can live in zoos for about 15 years. In the wild they are known to consume herbaceous vegetation including bamboo, leaves, bark, twigs, buds, blossoms, fruit and berries.
Females (does) become sexually mature as early as one year. Although males (bucks) reach sexual maturity shortly after females, they often don’t breed until 18-24 months of age when they become large and seasoned enough to successfully compete for females with other mature male pudu.
Southern pudu mate in the fall and give birth in the spring (November-January in the southern hemisphere). Gestation is approximately seven months. Females usually bear a single fawn weighing about 29 ounces (822 g).
A fawn usually remains hidden for a number of days after birth, only emerging to suckle when the mother visits. After a few weeks, the fawn joins its mother in her normal range. Young stay with their mother for eight to 12 months. Male pudu do not contribute to the rearing of young. Young southern pudu lose their white spots after about three to five months of age. At eight months, males begin growing their first spike antlers which eventually reach 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) in length when they are seven years old.
The southern pudu, also called by the Chilean venadito, is the second smallest deer in the world. The northern pudu is the smallest deer. With its very short legs and small, low-slung body, the southern pudu can easily move through dense vegetation and among rocks to escape predators. Predators include pumas, foxes and domestic dogs. When pursued, southern pudu run in a zigzag pattern and will climb trunks of trees that are leaning over streams or bluffs to escape their pursuer.
In the wild, southern pudu are primarily normally active at twilight and during the night. They live in dense underbrush and bamboo thickets. Pudu tend to live alone or in pairs. These deer are almost never found in groups of more than three animals.
Scent marking is an important mode of communication. More common among males than females, scent marking is accomplished by secretions from the pre-orbital and frontal scent glands, as well as by urination and defecation in specific sites. Scent glands are sacs that open on the skin surface and discharge a strong-smelling secretion. Nearly all deer species possess these scent glands. One theory explaining why deer possess these glands is that the scent, when spread on trees or leaves, enables other deer to recognize their presence and marks their territory. (Source: www.zoo.org)
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