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First Chilean Pudu Born At Brevard Zoo

Posted: 3:38 pm EDT June 4, 2008Updated: 3:45 pm EDT June 4, 2008

The Brevard Zoo released photos Wednesday of Chilean pudu born at the zoo on May 21. The female is currently about seven inches long and weighs just over one pound. At birth, she only weighted 475 grams.


CUTE! Photos Of The Newborn Pudu

Born to Lola and Elroy, the newborn is the parents' first offspring together. Lola comes from the Oklahoma City Zoo and Elroy is from West Palm Beach Zoo at Dreher Park.

The Southern pudu is the smallest of all deer species. Usually Chilean pudu have a head and body length of just 2.8 feet. Shoulder height is only 14 to 15 inches, and each weighs roughly 20 to 30 pounds. The pudu is found in South America in the southern Andes of Chile and Argentina.

The Chilean pudu lives in small family groups, in small territories and are rather secretive animals. They are very wary, pausing often to check for predators. When chased, they run in a zig-zag pattern. They live 8 to 10 years in the wild and up to 12 years in captivity. They only have one offspring at a time. The gestation period is 210 days.

Pudu can survive for long durations without drinking, getting needed moisture from plants. They eat leaves, twigs, bark, bugs, fruit and seeds. Main predators include cougar, Magellan fox, Andes Fox, small cats, and eagle owls. Habitat destruction by logging and introduction of larger deer into the pudu habitat is threatening their survival.

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