White-tailed Deer

Facts

IUCN LEAST CONCERN (LC)

Facts about this animal

Upperparts of the White-tailed deer are reddish brown in summer and grayish brown in winter. Underparts are white, as is the underside of the tail. When alarmed this deer raises the tail and shows the white underside as a signal of alarm during escape. The White-tailde deer is a medium-sized deer: males weigh between 60-160 kg and females from 40-105 kg. Individuals in the northern part of their range are larger in size than their southern relatives. Only males have antlers which are shed in winter.

The white-tailed deer's diet changes depending on its habitat and the season. It feeds on grasses, herbs and leaves in the spring and summer, corn, acorns and other nuts in the fall, and the buds and twigs of woody plants in winter.

Did you know?
that the hair shafts of the White-tailed deer are hollow in winter, providing better insulation against the winter cold?

Factsheet
Class	MAMMALIA
Order	ARTIODACTYLA
Suborder	RUMINANTIA
Family	CERVIDAE
Name (Scientific)	Odocoileus virginianus
Name (English)	White-tailed Deer
Name (French)	Cerf de Virginie, Cerf à queue blanche
Name (German)	Weisswedelhirsch, Virginiahirsch
Name (Spanish)	Venado cola blanca
CITES Status	Appendix III (subspecies mayensis only, in Guatemala)
CMS Status	Not listed

Photo Copyright by
U.S. Department od Agriculture

Distribution

Distribution
Range	From Southern Canada through the USA and Central America and as far south in South America as Bolivia.
Habitat	Preferred habitat type may vary by season and region, but White-tailed deers are most common in areas with young forests and brush.
Wild population	United States:11 million, Canada: nearly half a million. But in Mexico, Central and South American populations are decreasing (IUCN Red List 2011)
Zoo population	516 reported to ISIS (2007)

In the Zoo

How this animal should be transported

Hard antlers should be removed before transport under proper restraint and, where required, sedation. No deer with antlers in velvet at a stage of growth which could be damaged easily should be transported where there is a risk of injury.

For air transport, Container Note 73 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations, should be followed.

Find this animal on ZooLex

Photo Copyright by
D. Gordon E. Robertson

Why do zoos keep this animal

The white-tailed deer is a very common species. It is kept primarily by North American zoos to display an important element of the native fauna, which has been used as the model of Walt Disney's "Bambi".

Zoos may also come into the position of keeping orphaned or injured white-tailed deer for animal welfare reasons.

How this animal should be kept

White-tailed deer should be kept in social groups of one adult male and several females with their offspring. In larger enclosures mixed herds of several males and females may be kept. Temporary separation of sexes and keeping in bachelor groups is also possible.

For up to five adult animals an outdoor enclosure of at least 500 m² is required, which should be enlarged by 50 m² for each additional adult. The enclosure should be well structured by logs, heaps of branches, rocks, bushes, or trees, allowing the deer to withdraw and hide from each other. A mud bath is not necessary. Branches should be made available for antler rubbing (removal of velvet). Frequently used areas, e.g. at the entrance to the stables, should be paved. The soil should be well drained.

Enclosures with non-drained soil and grass cover offer at least 1000 m² per adult animal. A simple shelter of suitable size to accommodate all animals should be available as a protection from inclement weather or for providing shadow.

White-tailed deer do graze and browse, feeding on grass, leaves, shoots, flowers, twigs etc. The diet should therefore consist of good quality hay ad lib., fresh browse (winter: leafless; summer: with leaves), dried browse (in winter, e.g.chestnut leaves), fresh lucerne/grass mixture (only summer), pellets especially for browsers, crushed oats, bran, fruit, and vegetables.