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33-440: Pudu puda ( Molina , 1782) Pudu mephistophiles (de Winton, 1896) Pudua Garrod, 1877 Pudella Thomas, 1913 The pudus ( Mapudungun püdü or püdu , Spanish : pudú , Spanish pronunciation: [puˈðu] ) are two species of South American deer from the genus Pudu , and are the world's smallest deer . The chevrotains (mouse-deer; Tragulidae) are smaller, but they are not true deer. The name

66-529: Is a loanword from Mapudungun , the language of the indigenous Mapuche people of central Chile and south-western Argentina. The two species of pudus are the northern pudu ( Pudu mephistophiles ) from Venezuela , Colombia , Ecuador , and Peru , and the southern pudu ( Pudu puda ; sometimes incorrectly modified to Pudu pudu ) from southern Chile and south-western Argentina . Pudus range in size from 32 to 44 centimeters (13 to 17 in) tall, and up to 85 centimeters (33 in) long. The southern pudu

99-651: Is a solitary animal whose behavior 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,

132-593: Is a species of South American deer native to the Valdivian temperate forests of south-central Chile and adjacent Argentina . It is classified as Near Threatened in the IUCN Red List . The southern pudu is characterized by being the second smallest deer in the world. It is slightly larger than its sister species, the northern pudu , being 35 to 45 cm (14 to 18 in) tall at the shoulder and weighs 6.4 to 13.4 kg (14 to 30 lb). The antlers of

165-492: Is classified as near threatened, while the northern pudu is classified as Data Deficient in the IUCN Red List . The genus Pudu was first erected by English naturalist John Edward Gray in 1850. Pudua was a Latinized version of the name proposed by Alfred Henry Garrod in 1877, but was ruled invalid. Pudus are classified in the New World deer subfamily Capreolinae within the deer family Cervidae . The term "pudú" itself

198-660: Is currently listed as near threatened on the IUCN Red List , mainly because of overhunting and habitat loss, while the northern pudu is currently classified as being 'Data deficient'. Pudu puda is listed in CITES Appendix I, and Pudu mephistophiles is listed in CITES Appendix II. The southern species is more easily maintained in captivity than the northern, though small populations of the northern formerly existed in zoos. As of 2010, more than 100 southern pudús are kept at Species360 -registered institutions with

231-601: Is derived from the language of the Mapuche people of the Los Lagos Region of south-central Chile. Because they live on the slopes of the Andes Mountain Range, they are also known as the "Chilean mountain goat". Two similar species of pudús are recognised: [REDACTED] [REDACTED] The pudus are the world's smallest deer, with the southern pudu being slightly larger than

264-596: Is found at lower elevations than its sister species, from sea level to 1,700 m (5,600 ft) elevation. In the Chilean Coast Range the pudu is found in primary and secondary broadleaf evergreen and alerce ( Fitzroya cupressoides ) forests, and sometimes in Eucalyptus plantations. In the southern Andes of Chile and Argentina it is associated with thickets of bamboo ( Chusquea spp.) and Nothofagus dombeyi forests. Foraging by southern pudu

297-472: Is long and stiff, typically pressed close to the body, with a reddish-brown to dark-brown hue. The neck and shoulders of an aged pudu turn a dark gray-brown in the winter. The pudú inhabits temperate rainforests in South America, where the dense underbrush and bamboo thickets offer protection from predators. Southern Chile, south-west Argentina, Chiloé Island , and northwest South America are home to

330-581: Is normally active during the day, but on islands like Santa Cruz that are home to the Galapagos hawk , the owl is crepuscular. Apart from the relevance to predation, crepuscular activity in hot regions also may be the most effective way of avoiding heat stress while capitalizing on available light. Crepuscular flight activity is preferred by some animals, such as the walnut twig beetle , due to warmer temperatures, moderate wind speeds, and low barometric pressure. Crepuscular activity can be influenced by

363-404: Is reduced and most populations are reproductively isolated from each other. The population from Chiloé Island is estimated to have become isolated from continental populations more than 200 thousand years ago and may constitute a separate subspecies. This reproductive isolation makes each population an important evolutionary unit but also increases their vulnerability since a drastic reduction in

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396-404: Is thought to be detrimental for the regeneration of burned forests of Pilgerodendron uviferum . Analysis of the mtDNA control region and cytochrome b of the southern pudu across Chile revealed that different populations have marked genetic differences, with a large number of unique haplotypes in each population and few shared haplotypes between populations. This indicates that gene flow

429-513: The Latin crepusculum ("twilight"). Its sense accordingly differs from diurnal and nocturnal behavior, which respectively peak during hours of daytime and night. The distinction is not absolute, because crepuscular animals may also be active on a bright moonlit night or on a dull day. Some animals casually described as nocturnal are in fact crepuscular. Special classes of crepuscular behaviour include matutinal, or "matinal", animals active only in

462-805: The destruction of their rainforest habitat. The land is cleared for human development, cattle ranching, agriculture, logging, and exotic tree plantations. Habitat fragmentation and road accidents cause pudú deaths. They are taken from the wild as pets, as well as exported illegally. They are overhunted and killed for food by specially trained hunting dogs. The recently introduced red deer compete with pudús for food. Domestic dogs prey upon pudús and transfer parasites through contact. Pudús are very susceptible to diseases such as bladder worms, lungworms , roundworms , and heartworms . Pudu puda Capra puda Molina, 1782 The southern pudu ( Pudu puda , Mapudungun püdü or püdu , Spanish : pudú , Spanish pronunciation: [puˈðu] )

495-401: The lunar cycle due to the change in nocturnal light. This creates changes in animal sleep , reproduction , and foraging behaviours, often becoming less active during periods of low light. Animal patterns of activity sometimes change during migration due to changes in environmental conditions. Mule deer are crepuscular, but they are only active at dusk before and during migration. In

528-614: The spring they are only active at dawn because the snow is at its hardest , so it is easier for the deer to move without sinking in the snow. During migration, some types of swallow are active primarily during daytime hours with some activity during twilight hours. Crepuscular animal activity is affected by human activity , because humans are diurnal. Crepuscular animals are less likely to participate in typical foraging or reproductive behaviors and deal with increased stress and mortality rates when humans are present. Animals may change their usual activity patterns in response to

561-527: The average birth weight being 890 g (31 oz). Newborns less than 600 g (21 oz) or more than 1,000 g (35 oz) die. Females and males weigh the same at birth. Fawns have reddish-brown fur and southern pudú fawns have white spots running the length of their backs. Young are weaned after 2 months. Females mature sexually in 6 months, while males mature in 8–12 months. Fawns are fully grown in 3 months, but may stay with their mothers for 8 to 12 months. The southern pudu

594-479: The crepuscular populations, and offer better foraging opportunities to predators that increasingly focus their attention on crepuscular prey until a new balance is struck. Such shifting states of balance are often found in ecology. Some predatory species adjust their habits in response to competition from other predators. For example, the subspecies of short-eared owl that lives on the Galápagos Islands

627-449: The dawn, and vespertine, only in the dusk. Those active during both times are said to have a bimodal activity pattern. The various patterns of activity are thought to be mainly antipredator adaptations , though some could equally well be predatory adaptations . Many predators forage most intensively at night, whereas others are active at midday and see best in full sun. The crepuscular habit may both reduce predation pressure, increasing

660-414: 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

693-516: The deer. The northern pudú is found in the northern Andes of Colombia, Venezuela, 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 climate of the pudú'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 2 to 4 m (6.6 to 13.1 ft). The pudú

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726-564: The endangered Amazon river dolphin , some species of bats , hamsters , housecats , stray dogs , rabbits , ferrets , rats , jaguars , ocelots , bobcats , servals , strepsirrhines , red pandas , bears , deer , moose , sitatunga , capybaras , chinchillas , the common mouse , skunks , squirrels , foxes , wombats , wallabies , quolls , possums and marsupial gliders , tenrecs , and spotted hyenas . Snakes , lizards , and frogs , especially those in desert environments, may be crepuscular. Crepuscular birds include

759-507: 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. They bend bamboo shoots horizontally in order to walk on them and eat from higher branches. Pudús are solitary and only come together for rut . Mating season is in the Southern Hemisphere autumn, from April to May. Pudú DNA is arranged into 70 chromosomes . To mate,

792-527: 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 spikelike antlers. The deer may use their front legs to press down on saplings until they snap or become low enough to

825-447: The northern pudu. It has a stocky frame supported by short and slender legs. It is 32 to 44 cm (13 to 17 in) high at the shoulder and up to 85 cm (33 in) in length. Pudus normally weigh up to 12 kg (26 lb), but the highest recorded weight of a pudu is 13.4 kg (30 lb). Pudus have small, black eyes, black noses, and rounded ears with lengths of 7.5 to 8 cm (3.0 to 3.1 in). Sexual dimorphism in

858-522: The number of individuals would decrease genetic diversity without recovery from migrating individuals coming from neighboring areas. Crepuscular A number of factors affect the time of day an animal is active. Predators hunt when their prey is available, and prey try to avoid the times when their principal predators are at large. The temperature may be too high at midday or too low at night. Some creatures may adjust their activities depending on local competition. The word crepuscular derives from

891-414: The presence of humans. For example, Asian black bears may avoid areas with high human activity during the day, but go to these locations during twilight or nighttime hours. Light pollution impacts crepuscular behaviour because it mimics natural light conditions, leading crepuscular animals to behave as they would on nights with more moonlight. Many familiar mammal species are crepuscular, including

924-404: The pudú male rests his chin on the female's back, then sniffs her rear before mounting her from behind, holding her with his fore legs. The gestation period ranges from 202 to 223 days (around 7 months) with the average being 210 days. A single offspring or sometimes twins are born in austral spring, from November to January. Newborns weigh 700 to 1,000 g (25 to 35 oz) with

957-645: The pudús ranges from 8 to 10 years in the wild. The longest recorded lifespan is 15 years and 9 months. However, such longevity is rare and most pudús die at a much younger age, from a wide range of causes. Maternal neglect of newborns, as well as a wide range of diseases, can decrease the population. A popular rumor 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

990-419: The southern pudu grow to be 5.3 to 9 cm (2.1 to 3.5 in) long and tend to curve back, somewhat like a mountain goat . Its coat is a dark chestnut-brown, and tends to tuft in the front, covering the antlers. The southern pudu lives in forests, including both mature and disturbed forests, typically with a dense understory, but it does nevertheless prefer open spaces with rich vegetation for feeding. It

1023-541: The species includes an absence of antlers in females. Males have short, spiked antlers that are not forked, as seen in most species of deer. The antlers, which are shed annually, can extend from 6.5 to 7.5 cm (2.6 to 3.0 in) in length and protrude from between the ears. Also on the head are large preorbital glands . Pudus have small hooves , dewclaws , and short tails about 4.0 to 4.5 cm (1.6 to 1.8 in) in length when measured without hair. Coat coloration varies with season, sex, and individual genes. The fur

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1056-600: The use of radio collars for tracking. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species has banned the international trading of pudús. The Wildlife Conservation Society protects their natural habitat and works to recreate it for pudús in captivity. Despite efforts made by the World Wildlife Fund , the size of the pudú population remains unknown. Threats to the pudús remain despite various conservation efforts. Pudús are threatened due to

1089-745: The vast majority in European and US zoos . Pudús are difficult to transport because they are easily overheated and stressed. Pudús are protected in various national parks; parks require resources to enforce protection of the deer. Efforts to preserve the pudú species are being taken in order to prevent extinction. An international captive-breeding program for the southern pudú led by Universidad de Concepcion in Chile has been started. Some deer have been bred in captivity and reintroduced into Nahuel Huapi National Park in Argentina. Reintroduction efforts include

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