California's Oakland Zoo Welcomes Newborn Southern Pudu, the World's Smallest Deer
The Oakland Zoo has a brand new baby animal. The yet-to-be-named southern pudu was born on August 7 in front of zoo guests.
"We had guests who were watching when it happened," zookeeper Andrea Dougall told Reuters.
The first southern pudus, a small deer species, moved into the Califonia zoo recently and have been "very comfortable," Dougall told the outlet. One of the pudus, Riley, is the mother of the newborn.
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The Oakland Zoo in California welcomed a newborn Southern Pudu, the world’s smallest deer pic.twitter.com/gSvnNfzxVx
— Reuters (@Reuters) August 13, 2022
The zookeeper added that the birth wasn't a total surprise, as Riley had been looking a bit heavier. The mother deer had been on a form of injectable birth control designed to wear off over time.
"And when it wore off, it was time," Dougall said. "Midday on Sunday, I was passing by the exhibit and she was doing some movements that looked like she was in labor."
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Oakland Zoo; Steven Gotz;
Dougall also shared that the "adorable" baby pudu is healthy and doing well. "They have great personalities, they're very inquisitive," said the zookeeper. "I think it is very high up there in the cuteness factor."
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Oakland Zoo
Southern pudu fawns are around 8 inches tall and weigh only 2 lbs., according to the Oakland Zoo's website.
In the wild, southern pudus reside in temperate rainforests and deciduous forests, according to the zoo. They're also found in southern Chile and southwestern Argentina.