Pudu deer

Pudu: The smallest deer in the world

You would be surprised to know that Pudu is a deer which is the size of a Pug and it is one of the cutest animals in the world.
Pudu deers are found in South American countries which include Chile, Argentina, Ecuador, Colombia.

Some facts about this cutest animal in the world

Pudus are found in temperate rain forest of South America, there are two kinds of Pudu - 

Southern Pudu - They are found in southern Andes of Chile and Argentina

Nothern Pudu - They are mostly seen in Andes of Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador.

Physical Description 

Northern pudu - 

These are the smallest ones, it grows around 6 cm (2.4 inches) in total body length and with  shoulder height from 32 to 35 cm (13 to 14 inches) and weighs 3.3 to 6 kg . The fur is composed of long coarse hair. The middle back is a reddish brown color, while the face, outer surface of the ears, narial patch, chin and under side are reddish. The fawns have a white spotted coat. The body is low to the ground with short thick legs. The eyes and the ears are small compared with the body size. The tail is almost non-exsistent. Males have short, less than 100 mm, spike antlers.

Southern Pudu - 

Somewhat larger than its sister species, the northern pudú, being 35 to 45 cm (14 to 18 in) tall at the shoulder in the body length this pudu grow to be 5.3 to 9 cm (2.1 to 3.5 in) long and weighs 6.4 to 13.4 kg (14 to 30 lb)

Food -

The pudus 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 the high water content of the succulent foliage in their diets.

Behavior

Pudu are solitary animals that only come into contact with others of their species during rut. During rut, the male lays his chin on the female's back, smells her rear end, curls his upper lip, lays his forelegs on her back, and mounts her. Pudu navigate through the dense jungle by a network of well-marked trails. The trails lead to spots for resting and feeding. They form dung piles, the majority of which are found near resting places. Each pudu has its own territory, approximately 40-60 acres in area.

Pudu is the cutest animal and it's an endangered species so it isn't available as pet.
Pudus are threatened due to the destruction of their rainforest habitat. The land is cleared for human development, cattle ranching, agriculture, logging, and exotic tree plantations.

You can contribute your bit by spreading awareness about this animal so this endangered animal can be saved on earth

Southern pudu eat fallen fruit, ferns, vines and small tree foliage. Pudus move slowly as they look for food, often standing up on their hind legs to test the wind. They reach food by standing on their hind legs and jumping on fallen trees.