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The Pudú
The pudús (Mapudungun püdü or püdu, Spanish: pudú) are two subspecies of South American
Pudu
deer from the genus Pudu, and are the world’s smallest deer.
The name is a loan word from Mapudungun, the language of the indigenous Mapuche people of southern Chile. The two species of pudús are the northern pudú (Pudu mephistophiles) from Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, and the southern pudú (Pudu puda; sometimes incorrectly modified to Pudu pudu) from southern Chile and south western Argentina.
Pudús range in size from 32 to 44 centimetres (13 to 17 in) tall, and up to 85 centimetres (33 in) long.
As of 2009, both species are classified as “Endangered” in the IUCN Red List.
Pudús are classified in the New World deer subfamily Capreolinae within the deer family Cervidae. The term “pudú” itself is derived from the Mapuche people of southern Chile. Because they live on the slopes of the Andes Mountain Range, they are also known as the “Chilean mountain goat”.
Two similar recognized species of pudús are the southern pudú and the northern pudú.
The pudú inhabits temperate rainforests in South America, where the dense underbrush and bamboo thickets offer protection from predators. Southern Chile, southwest Argentina, Chiloé Island, and northwest South America are home to the deer. The northern pudú is found in the northern Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, from 2,000 to 4,000 m (6,600 to 13,100 ft) above sea level. The southern species is found in the slope of the southern Andes from sea level to 2,000 m (6,600 ft).
The pudú is a solitary animal whose behaviour in the wild is largely unknown because of its secretive nature. Pudús are crepuscular, most active in the morning, late afternoon, and evening. Their home range generally extends about 16 to 25 ha (40 to 62 acres), much of which consists of crisscrossing pudú-trodden paths. Each pudú has its own home range, or territory. A single animal’s territory is marked with sizable dung piles found on paths and near eating and resting areas. Large facial glands for scent communication allow correspondence with other pudú deer. Pudús do not interact socially, other than to mate. An easily frightened animal, the deer barks when in fear. Its fur bristles and the pudú shivers when angered.
Predators of the pudús include the horned owl, Andean fox, Magellan fox, cougar, and other small cats. The pudú is a wary animal that moves slowly and stops often, smelling the air for scents of predators. Being a proficient climber, jumper, and sprinter, the deer flees in a zigzag path when being pursued. The lifespan of the pudús ranges from eight to 10 years in the wild. However, the longest recorded lifespan is 15 years, nine months.
Such longevity is rare and most pudús die at a much younger age, from a wide range of causes. Maternal neglect as newborns, as well as a wide range of diseases, can decrease the population. A popular rumour is that if alarmed to a high degree, pudús die from fear-induced cardiac complications.
The pudús are herbivorous, consuming vines, leaves from low trees, shrubs, succulent sprouts, herbs, ferns, blossoms, buds, tree bark, and fallen fruit. They can survive without drinking water for long periods due to the high water content of the succulent foliage in their diets.
Pudús have various methods of obtaining the foliage they need. Their small stature and cautious nature create obstacles in attaining food. They stop often while searching for food to stand on their hind legs and smell the wind, detecting food scents. Females and fawns peel bark from saplings using their teeth, but mature males may use their spike-like antlers. The deer may use their front legs to press down on saplings until they snap or become low enough to the ground so they can reach the leaves.
Forced to stand on their hind legs due to their small size, the deer climb branches and tree stumps to reach higher foliage. Moreover, they bend bamboo shoots horizontally in order to walk on them and eat from higher branches.
(Source: Wikipedia – The Free Online Encyclopedia)
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