Queens Zoo Celebrate Birth of World’s Smallest Deer

WCS’s Queen’s Zoo have introduced a southern pudu fawn born at the New York attraction. The fawn was born during mid-May and at a little over a month old weighs in at five and a half pounds (two and a half kilograms).

The zoo operate a successful breeding program for the southern pudu which has been running for over a decade as part of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums Species Survival Plan. At present the zoo provide a home for a family of three pudu. Guests can meet them on the zoo’s Wild Side Trail.

The pudu is the world’s smallest species of deer. Found naturally in Chile and Argentina they grow to just 15-20lbs (6.8-9kg) as an adult.

This species is listed as vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Threats to their survival include habitat loss, predation by dogs, vehicle strikes and increasing fire activity.