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Where are the deer in Florida Keys?
Key deer inhabit 20-25 islands in the lower Florida Keys, ranging from No Name and Big Pine Key westward to the Sugarloaf Keys. Key deer feed on over 150 different species of native plants; you can help keep the key deer population healthy by not feeding them.
How do you find the key deer in the key?
Directions: The National Key Deer Refuge headquarters is on Big Pine Key, which is 100 miles south of Miami and 30 miles north of Key West on Highway US-1. The refuge visitor center is located ¼-mile north of the traffic light on Key Deer Boulevard in the Big Pine Key Shopping Plaza.
Where are deer found in Florida?
Habitat: White-tailed deer can be found throughout Florida from the panhandle to the keys. They prefer habitats with young, low-growing vegetation and edge, where the intersection of two different habitats allows deer to easily feed and avoid predators.
Are there key deer in Key West?
The Key deer (Odocoileus virginianus clavium) is an endangered deer that lives only in the Florida Keys. It is a subspecies of the white-tailed deer (O. virginianus). It is the smallest known extant North American deer species….
| Key deer | |
|---|---|
| Family: | Cervidae |
| Subfamily: | Capreolinae |
| Genus: | Odocoileus |
| Species: | O. virginianus |
How many key deer are left in Florida?
The current Key deer population is estimated to be 700 to 800 deer, with the greatest concentrations on Big Pine Key and No Name Key. While its population is considered stable for now, the Key deer remains listed as a federally endangered species.
How many key deer are in the Keys?
Key deer once ranged throughout the lower Florida Keys, but now lives primarily in one area, called Big Pine Key, and surrounding small islands. The Key deer is listed as endangered by the Endangered Species Act. Currently fewer than 1,000 Key deer survive, and their future remains precarious.
Why are key deer so small?
virginianus) – a species found across North America. They are genetically divergent from their larger cousins due to the geographic isolation they experienced at the end of the last Ice Age. Key deer are much smaller in stature and body weight, are adapted to a salt-tolerant island lifestyle with a subtropical climate.
Can you pet Key deer?
Key Deer – This miniature white-tailed deer is found only in the middle Florida Keys (mainly Big Pine Key & No Name Key), and they are a highly-endangered species, with less than 800 in the wild. Do not feed, harass, touch, capture, or kill key deer.
Where is the highest deer population in Florida?
Panhandle
As a region, the Panhandle has the highest-scoring deer. But, the counties that comprise the spine of the state, from Alachua and Marion and into Polk and Osceola, offer a shot at a whopper, too.
What state has the most deer?
Mississippi tops the list at almost 40 deer per square mile, but Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan all show an average of more than 30 deer per square mile. Indiana, Alabama, South Carolina and Kentucky all have 23 or more deer per square mile.
Why are Florida deer so small?
Florida deer are considerably smaller than those in most other states. Deer in Florida are well adapted to the climate and environment. The smaller body size is beneficial in warm climates because it allows for less energy to be expended for regulating body temperature.
What eats Key deer?
A: The primary predators of Key deer fawns are American alligators and American crocodiles. On occasion, residents will report an alligator or crocodile having eaten an adult deer, but it is thought to be a rare occurrence. Adult Key deer do not have other natural predators, with the exception of the human-driven car.
What are facts about Key deer?
Key Deer Are Much Smaller Than Normal White-Tailed Deer Key deer are much smaller than your average white-tailed deer.
Where in the Florida Keys do Key deer live?
The National Key Deer Refuge in Florida, where many of the deer can be found, was established in 1953. Key deer live in all the types of ecosystems found in the Florida Keys, from pine forests to mangroves and freshwater wetlands .
Why are key deer endangered?
Due to proximity, most Key deer have lost their fear of humans. This, besides habitat loss, is the main reason why they have become endangered.
Is the Key deer endangered?
The Key deer ( Odocoileus virginianus clavium) is an endangered deer that lives only in the Florida Keys.